Ruturaj Gaikwad Reveals Where CSK’s IPL 2026 Campaign Went Wrong

Brief By Newsbrief / 4:33 PM on 23 May 2026

Chennai Super Kings saw their IPL 2026 campaign end in disappointment after suffering a heavy 89-run defeat against Gujarat Titans on May 21. The loss officially ended CSK’s playoff hopes, marking the third consecutive season in which the five-time champions failed to qualify for the knockout stage. The team finished the tournament with just six wins from 14 matches and ended with 12 points.

After the match, CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad openly discussed where the team went wrong during the season. He admitted that the two defeats against Sunrisers Hyderabad proved to be the turning point of their campaign.

Gaikwad said the team played good cricket in several matches but lost momentum after failing to capitalize in Hyderabad and later struggling again in Chennai. In their first clash on April 18, Sunrisers Hyderabad posted 194 runs, and CSK fell short by 10 runs despite being in a strong position during the chase. Slow batting in the middle overs and regular wickets hurt their chances.

In the second encounter in Chennai, CSK scored 180 runs while batting first. Although they picked up early wickets, the team could not maintain control as Ishan Kishan and Heinrich Klaasen built a match-winning partnership for Hyderabad.

Gaikwad also admitted that injuries played a major role in disrupting the team’s campaign. Players such as Nathan Ellis, Ayush Mhatre, Khaleel Ahmed, Jamie Overton, and Ramakrishna Ghosh struggled with injuries throughout the season. Even MS Dhoni was not fully fit, which affected the balance and consistency of the team.