Chennai Super Kings signed Karnataka all-rounder Macneil Hadley Noronha on 13 May 2026. The five-time champions brought him in to replace Ramakrishna Ghosh, who is now out for the rest of the season.
OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:
Ramakrishna Ghosh sustained a fracture to his right foot during the CSK v MI match at Chepauk.
He will take no further part in IPL 2026.
Get well soon, Rambo. pic.twitter.com/CQve4zLixG— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) May 3, 2026
Ghosh suffered a fractured right foot during his IPL debut against the Mumbai Indians earlier this month. This signing happens as CSK prepares for their final three league matches of the IPL 2026 season. The team currently stands in fifth position and they need wins to qualify for playoffs.
Why CSK Signed Macneil Hadley Noronha
The Chennai franchise needed a fresh player because injuries have severely weakened their squad. Ramakrishna Ghosh played only one match against Mumbai Indians on 2 May before his injury. He finished that game with figures of 1/24, including the wicket of Suryakumar Yadav. However, the medical team later confirmed he had a fracture that would take him out of the tournament.
CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan confirmed the team has already contacted the BCCI for final approval. The team management chose Noronha because he is a versatile all-rounder who can both bat and bowl.
Who is Macneil Hadley Noronha?
Macneil Hadley Noronha is a 24-year-old batting all-rounder from Karnataka. He was born in Dubai and spent much of his childhood in the UAE before moving to India to play professional cricket. Noronha is a right-handed batter and a right-arm off-break bowler.
His childhood coach, Irfan Sait, previously compared his aggressive style to former Indian star Robin Uthappa. Furthermore, Noronha has a reputation for hitting sixes effortlessly. He once honoured Yuvraj Singh’s retirement by hitting six sixes in a single over during a private tournament.
Record-Breaking Domestic Form
Noronha has performed exceptionally well in domestic cricket. He became the leading run-scorer with 1,037 runs in the 2024-25 season of the Nayudu Trophy. He scored two triple centuries during that tournament. He made 345 runs from just 348 balls which included 25 sixes.
Macneil Hadley Noronha has joined CSK. Official Announcement Coming 🔜 pic.twitter.com/5WXSaIjnyX
— The Brevis (@Ben10Brevis) May 12, 2026
Likewise, he scored 253 runs in the Maharaja T20 League for the Mangaluru Dragons. He maintained a strike rate of 148.82 in the tournament. As a bowler, he took 10 wickets in their title-winning campaign in 2025. In the final match against Hubli, Noronha took 2 wickets by giving 25 runs in his 4 overs spell.
CSK Playoff Qualification Scenarios
Chennai Super Kings stand in 5th position with 12 points from their 11 matches. They have won six games and lost five. In their next three remaining games, they have to win two games to reach 16 points. This is usually enough to qualify for the playoffs, but they have to rely on their net run rate.
CSK Remaining Fixtures:
| Lucknow Super Giants | May 15 at Ekana Stadium |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | May 18 at Chepauk |
| Gujarat Titans | May 21 at Ahmedabad |
Injury Problems for CKS This IPL Season
CSK has a list of injured players this 2026 season. Ramakrishna Ghosh is out for the season due to a right foot fracture. Khaleel Ahmed is also out for the rest of the season. Ayush Mhatre was ruled out and replaced by Akash Madhwal. Nathan Ellis was ruled out before the season even started. Spencer Johnson missed several games earlier due to his own fitness issues. And MS Dhoni has not played a single game this season while recovering from a calf strain.
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While MS Dhoni has travelled with the squad to Lucknow, he is very unlikely to play in the upcoming match. Consequently, the team needs new players like Noronha to step up and perform immediately.
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