Who Is Macneil Noronha? CSK's new probable replacement for injured Ramkrishna Ghosh

Chennai Super Kings have moved to bring Karnataka allrounder Macneil Noronha into their IPL 2026 squad as an injury replacement for Ramakrishna Ghosh, whose campaign ended with a foot fracture suffered earlier this month. The franchise has already written to the BCCI seeking approval for the signing, according to CSK chief executive Kasi Viswanathan.

Noronha arrives after an impressive domestic T20 season with the Mangaluru Dragons in the Maharaja Trophy, where he contributed significantly with both bat and ball during their title-winning run. Chennai’s season, meanwhile, has increasingly resembled an attendance register from a physiotherapy clinic, with injuries repeatedly forcing changes to the squad.

The 28-year-old Ghosh was ruled out after sustaining the injury during his IPL debut against Mumbai Indians on May 3. Chennai have since continued reshuffling their resources while remaining in contention for a playoff position.

Noronha rewarded after strong domestic performances

Noronha scored 253 runs in 13 matches during the 2025 Maharaja Trophy season at a strike rate of 148.82, hitting 19 sixes through the tournament. Apart from his power-hitting, he also picked up 10 wickets with his off-spin at an economy rate of 7.44.

His best bowling figures of 2 for 25 came during the final against Hubli Tigers, helping Mangaluru Dragons secure the title. The performances earned him a place in Karnataka’s Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy squad, where he featured in three matches.

Noronha scored 58 runs across those appearances while also taking one wicket. He was additionally recognised at the Naman Awards after finishing as the highest run-scorer in the U23 Colonel CK Nayudu Trophy for the 2024-25 season.

CSK’s decision to move for the Karnataka allrounder comes as the franchise continues to search for fit and available combinations midway through the tournament.

Injuries continue disrupting Chennai’s campaign

The five-time champions have already lost frontline Indian seamer Khaleel Ahmed and batter Ayush Mhatre to season-ending injuries. Nathan Ellis was unavailable before the season due to fitness concerns, while replacement signing Spencer Johnson also missed matches because of injury issues.

Former captain MS Dhoni has similarly remained unavailable since the start of the campaign while managing a calf strain. Chennai previously signed Akash Madhwal as Mhatre’s replacement but are yet to officially name a substitute for Khaleel Ahmed.

Despite the disruptions, CSK remain fifth on the IPL 2026 points table. A victory against Lucknow Super Giants on Friday could push them into the top four, assuming the injury list does not demand another press release before toss time.