Abhinav Mukund: 'CSK had a very average season throughout'

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) bowling coach Eric Simons feels they have come away from IPL 2026 having "learnt a lot about ourselves as a unit. as individuals". But Abhinav Mukund isn't happy with the five-time champions' season at all. The team "had a very average season throughout, with them not knowing their strengths at home because that is something that they take pride in," Abhinav said after CSK lost to Gujarat Titans (GT) to end their season with 12 points. a seventh spot on the table (which could change).

One of the major issues CSK faced this season was player fitness. MS Dhoni didn't play at all because of a calf injury. Nathan Ellis, expected to be their pace spearhead, was ruled out before the season started with a hamstring injury. Then, at various points, they lost the services of Ayush Mhatre, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Khaleel Ahmed. Jamie Overton, the last of them at a crucial point when CSK were running up some wins with Overton playing a big role for them.

"I think that's an important part of winning an IPL that you get your balance right,. you have a side that can carry itself through, and your changes are made a long way before the game - not because someone's out of form but because you're moving into a particular condition," Simons said at the press conference after the GT game. "So we know ourselves a lot better as a unit,. we also know a lot of the individuals better as to what they can and can't do.

"Someone like Kartik [Sharma] came along magnificently this season. We know what he's about. Obviously, these established players, we've always known who they were and what they are. But I do know that we've come away from this tournament understanding ourselves as a unit better,. that stands us in good stead.

"I think we were, across the board, either young or a reasonably inexperienced side,. then we obviously had a lot of unlucky injuries that… just as we were getting some momentum, we lose someone like Jamie Overton, who's such a balancing factor, so important to our bowling attack through the middle so we don't have to make crazy changes, and then he can also bat at the back end of the innings. So that threw us out a bit."

CSK's season started with three losses in a row. Then came six wins in eight games. And then, again, three defeats in a row. The six wins gave them hope of sneaking into the playoffs,. Abhinav said that it was a false dawn because of the opponents CSK beat: none of the top teams.

"As much as it looks like, 'oh yeah, they've got 12 points,. they had a decent season', to me a very big factor in that is they beat DC [Delhi Capitals] twice, they beat MI [Mumbai Indians] twice, they beat LSG [Lucknow Super Giants] once, and KKR [Kolkata Knight Riders] once. That's their 12 points," Abhinav pointed out on ESPNcricinfo's TimeOut show. "They haven't managed to even shift the needle in terms of your top-three, top-four sides.

"So you know the differential in that. You know the teams that are trying to compete with these top-four sides,. you know the teams that are not close. So I felt that CSK had a very average season throughout. with them not knowing their strengths at home because that is something that they take pride in. The seasons that they've done well in, they know that this is the team that they want to play at home,. when they go away they have a certain strength too."

Before the season started, responding to their bottom-of-the-table finish in IPL 2025, CSK made a raft of changes. The biggest was trading in Sanju Samson from Rajasthan Royals (RR) in place of Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran. The other was breaking the bank for two promising young players: Prashant Veer and Kartik.

"The Sanju Samson trade to me was a success because that's something they addressed from last season, [at] the top. But after that, what happens to your bowling resources," Abhinav said. "You have got a lot of bowlers for pretty cheap in the auction,. are they exactly the replacements that you want? Are these the areas that you're looking for? I don't think so.

"They have a lot to work on in terms of their overseas set-up because they've got Matt Henry, Matt Short, Zak Foulkes. Dian Forrester, all four who I don't think are going to make the cut for next season. [But] these are all guys that are part of the other [Super Kings] franchises.

"But other than that, you've got Spencer Johnson, who comes in; Overton, Akeal [Hosein], Ellis and Noor [Ahmad]. These are the five options who would be retained. But then you've got three other overseas spots that you can fill with players who you need as back-up: Overton's back-up. Nathan Ellis' back-up. Nathan Ellis' back-up is not Matt Henry because they have significantly different roles. It's not Zak Foulkes, which is why you had to go Spencer Johnson.

"I feel. there was a disconnect in the replacements that they picked as well or the back-ups that they picked in the auction. I would seriously have a rethink. That Indian talent is really good. I think there is a ceiling for them,. there is some way to go with regards to their best performances yet to come. [But] I would still back them. But you've got to work on your overseas replacements."