IPL 2026: Kuldip Yadav joins CSK as injury replacement for Khaleel Ahmed

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) has brought in Kuldip Yadav as an injury replacement for the injured and ruled-out left-arm pacer Khaleel Ahmed for the remainder of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. Khaleel sustained a severe right quadriceps injury earlier in the tournament. He endured this Grade 2 tear setback in CSK's April 14 game against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). CSK's 2026 season has been severely affected by injuries.

First their 18 year old batter Ayush Mhatre got ruled out, then Khaleel, followed by Jamie Overton, making things worse for the Tamil Nadu-based side. They have already announced replacements for Mhatre and Overton, and now a 29-year-old left-arm fast-medium Kuldip Yadav has been announced as Khaleel's replacement. 

Also Read: RCB announce former CSK star as Nuwan Thushara's replacement ahead of PBKS clash

More about Kuldip Yadav and his IPL career

As mentioned earlier, Kuldip is a left-arm pacer who has joined Chennai for INR 30 lakh and shot three games in his IPL stint so far. He has represented Rajasthan Royals (RR) previously in 2021 and 2023. In these two seasons, he took two wickets while averaging 42 while maintaining an economy rate of 9.33. Not to mention, these are the only three T20 games that he has played in his career so far. 

Also Read: How can PBKS still qualify for IPL 2026 playoffs despite five straight losses? New scenarios explained

What are CSK's playoff chances after back to back injury blows

CSK, who've had a slow start to the 2026 season, have finally gained momentum and are on a three-game winning streak. The team is currently placed fifth in the points table with 12 points in 11 games with six wins and five losses. The team has yet to play three games, and if they manage to even win two of them, they'll have a great chance to qualify for the playoffs.

The team looks in red-hot form, especially after their previous game that saw CSK chase down a 200-plus total for the first time after 2018. However, the team would want Dian Forrester (if he gets picked up in the XI) to step into the shoes of ruled-out Jamie Overton, who was bringing them crucial wickets in both power plays and death overs.