After starting the season with a spate of injuries. three successive defeats, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) could count it as a success that they kept their playoffs chances alive until their last league game of IPL 2026, which they lost by 89 runs to Gujarat Titans (GT) on Thursday.
CSK have ended the season with six wins. eight defeats from their 14 games, and their captain Ruturaj Gaikwad said he was proud of the team for their efforts during what he called a transition phase. He felt the injuries that CSK suffered late in the season, especially to seam-bowling allrounders Jamie Overton. Ramakrishna Ghosh, set them back just when they had built up serious momentum. After winning six out of eight games in the middle part of the season. CSK finished with losses in their last three games.
"Well, tough season to start, especially the hat-trick of losses,. then after that, once we found that momentum, obviously we found guys playing at the right spot, the right combination, everything started working," Gaikwad said. "And then, a couple of injuries again. again didn't really help much, especially missing out Jamie and another allrounder in Ramakrishna Ghosh, kind of unsettled our playing 12. We were always playing a batter short or playing a bowler short in the last three games we played.
"Not many people actually buy the fact that we are a young team, we are in a transition phase,. [we don't have] a lot of players who are experienced enough, especially in the toughest competition. But given the fact that [we have] eight to 10 players who have played just below 20 games. it's good to have that exposure for them, especially this year. We got to know what are the areas we are lacking [in], but still, to get those six wins. a couple of great wins as well, I'm really proud of the unit."
Gaikwad pointed to a pair of defeats to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) as missed opportunities. In Hyderabad, CSK lost despite only needing 84 from the last 10 overs with seven wickets in hand. In Chennai. CSK made things difficult for SRH in a chase of 181 before Ishan Kishan's 47-ball 70 hauled them over the line.
"When we traveled to Hyderabad, we missed out on chasing [84] in 10 overs,. then even last time when we played in Chennai, we could have restricted them to 180, so a couple of games where we could have just got over the line, failed to do that, but still very much proud."
CSK have traditionally been known to prize and get the best out of older, experienced players. This IPL season was different,. Gaikwad pointed to the gains some of the young players had made through the season.
"Moving on from the likes of Ajinkya Rahane or Ambati Rayudu [who were part of CSK's last title win in 2023]. we had experience throughout the years [to] Kartik Sharma, Urvil [Patel], even Brev [Dewald Brevis], obviously missed out on playing initially in the season as well.
"Kartik obviously impressed a lot. He has a lot of potential going ahead, obviously a lot of areas to improve. Urvil, again is someone playing a full season for the first time, so you have a lot of expectations coming when you're playing a full season, so definitely that could have played in his mind, but obviously, good to have those games in the bag for everyone. definitely we'll come back stronger next year."
The older name who remains on CSK's playing roster. did not play a game all season, largely due to injury, was their talisman MS Dhoni. The question has followed him year after year, and it is no different now. Will he play next year, at 45?
"You'll get to know it next year itself," Gaikwad said. "You and I will get to know it next year itself. Obviously, it's a hard miss for us, definitely. He's someone who can [instill] a fear in the opposition. especially coming in those late overs, can really change the game, can really change the momentum just by staying at the crease, so he's someone we definitely missed a lot this season.
"We never know about next season, but obviously really happy with the guys we had. really happy with the experience they got this year."
Discussion
Sign in to join the thread, react, and share images.