Even as CSK qualification hopes hang by a thread, the latest buzz around. Chennai Super Kings fans is who is Macneil Noronha, the Karnataka player who replaced the injured Ramakrishna Ghosh.
Chennai Super Kings have signed Karnataka all-rounder Macneil Hadley Noronha as a replacement for the injured Ramakrishna Ghosh for the remainder of IPL 2026, a release from the IPL confirmed. The 24-year-old joins the five-time champions for INR 30 lakh — the base price — after Ghosh was ruled out of the tournament with a fractured right foot sustained on his IPL debut against Mumbai Indians on May 2. But who is Macneil Noronha, and what makes him worth a look for a franchise fighting to stay alive in the playoff race?
Born in Dubai, Raised on Karnataka Cricket
Macneil Hadley Noronha was born in Dubai and spent most of his childhood in the UAE before moving to India to pursue cricket with Karnataka. The right-handed batter and off-spin bowler came through the state’s age-group system and has steadily built a reputation in domestic cricket over the last two seasons — first in Karnataka’s franchise-based Maharaja Trophy and then in the BCCI’s U-23 red-ball tournament, the Colonel CK Nayudu Trophy.
Before his CSK signing, Noronha had attended pre-IPL trials for multiple franchises — Delhi Capitals, Kolkata Knight Riders, Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings — and reportedly impressed at each.
CK Nayudu Trophy 2024-25: The Numbers That Got Him Noticed
The Macneil Noronha stats that stand out most come from the 2024-25 Colonel CK Nayudu Trophy, where he finished as the tournament’s highest run-scorer with 1,037 runs in 14 innings. That tally included two triple centuries — one against Tripura (345 off 348 balls, with 25 sixes and 23 fours) and another against Uttarakhand — along with a third century and two fifties.
The 345-run knock against Tripura, in particular, was a remarkable display of sustained aggression in red-ball cricket. Noronha shared a 195-run opening stand with Prakar Chaturvedi before putting on a 262-run partnership for the second wicket with Vishal Onal, helping Karnataka post 580/5 declared.
His dominance in that tournament earned him the MA Chidambaram Trophy at the 2026 BCCI Naman Awards — the prize for the highest run-getter in the CK Nayudu Trophy.
Maharaja Trophy and SMAT: T20 Credentials
While Noronha’s red-ball numbers are eye-catching, it is his Maharaja Trophy 2025 performances that offer a better window into what he could bring to the IPL.
Playing for the Mangaluru Dragons in their title-winning campaign, Noronha scored 253 runs in 13 matches at a strike rate of 148.82, smashing 19 sixes through the tournament. He also contributed 10 wickets with his off-spin at an economy of 7.44, including figures of 2/25 in the final against Hubli Tigers — a genuine all-round showing in a high-pressure knockout game.
Those performances earned him a call-up to the Karnataka squad for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025, where he played three matches, scored 58 runs at a strike rate of 161.11 and picked up a wicket. His best SMAT outing came against Tripura — 34 off 21 balls with a wicket.
Why CSK Need Him — And Where He Fits
Noronha’s signing is CSK’s latest attempt to manage an injury crisis that has defined their IPL 2026 campaign. The franchise has already lost Nathan Ellis (pre-season hamstring injury), Khaleel Ahmed (Grade 2 quadricep tear), Ayush Mhatre (hamstring), and now Ghosh (foot fracture) to season-ending injuries. MS Dhoni has also missed all 11 matches so far with a recurring calf problem, though CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan has confirmed Dhoni’s flight to Lucknow has been booked ahead of the LSG clash on May 15.
Ghosh is CSK’s third official injury replacement this season — Nathan Ellis was replaced by Spencer Johnson, and Ayush Mhatre was replaced by Akash Madhwal.
It is unlikely that Noronha walks straight into the playing XI for the LSG game. CSK are expected to retain the same side that chased down 204 against LSG at Chepauk last week. But as a batting all-rounder who can bowl useful off-spin, Noronha gives CSK another option if the surface or match situation demands a different combination in the final stretch.
What to Expect
Macneil Noronha is not a finished product. He has never played in the IPL, has only three T20s for Karnataka to his name, and his domestic stats — while impressive in volume — come largely from age-group cricket. But the profile is clear: an aggressive right-handed batter comfortable opening or batting in the middle order, who can roll his arm over with off-spin and has shown big-match temperament in the Maharaja Trophy final.
For a CSK squad that has been patching holes all season, Noronha represents low-cost depth with upside. Whether he gets a game or not, his signing adds flexibility to a squad that desperately needs it as the IPL 2026 playoff race enters its decisive final stretch.
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