New Delhi [India], December 16 (ANI): Ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction on Tuesday, former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina commented on Sarfaraz Khan joining the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for Rs 7 crore.

Raina believes the franchise should consider targeting Sarfaraz Khan at the IPL 2026 mini-auction, arguing that the batter's red-hot domestic form makes him a timely and value-driven option.

'I think he is in great form. We saw earlier that when Venkatesh Iyer was bought for a big amount, the form wasn't quite there. Sarfaraz, on the other hand, is batting really well right now. You don't get that kind of player easily--the range of shots he plays, the confidence he has. The form Sarfaraz is in, even if he plays four or six matches and wins you two games, that 7 crore will be fully justified. After his first-class performances, he has also been included in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He is a form player, following a process. Chennai's wicket is technically sound, and if he gets set in a system like CSK, where the focus is on winning games, I think CSK will benefit greatly from his form,' Raina said on JioStar.

Sarfaraz has strengthened his case in the build-up to the auction with a stunning knock for Mumbai in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Khan amassed 256 runs from six innings in this year's Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy at an average of 64.00 and a strike-rate of 182.85.

The 2026 auction will take place in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. The player list for the 2026 season auction has been finalised, with 350 players, including 240 Indian cricketers and 110 overseas.

CSK have retained 16 players, including four overseas, from their 2024 squad, spending a total of Rs 81.60 crores on retention. Their caps have Rs 43.40 crore remaining for the mini-auction.

List of 16 players retained: Anshul Kamboj, Gurjapneet Singh, Jamie Overton, MS Dhoni, Mukesh Choudhary, Nathan Ellis, Noor Ahmad, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Sanju Samson (T), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shivam Dube, Shreyas Gopal, Syed Khaleel Ahmed, Ayush Mhatre, Dewald Brevis, Urvil Patel. (ANI)