3 major reasons behind CSK's group stage exit in IPL 2026

CSK failed to qualify for the IPL playoffs for the third consecutive season.

With an 89-run loss against the Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Thursday, May 21, the Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) dream to qualify for the play-offs has come to an end. The Super Kings finished their campaign with 12 points in 14 matches, including six wins and eight losses.

CSK fielded a relatively young squad for the 2026 campaign, while former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni missed the entire season due to injury. On the same note, let’s take a look at the 3 major reasons behind CSK’s group-stage exit in IPL 2026.

3. Questions around Ruturaj Gaikwad’s batting and captaincy

Sanju Samson is the leading run-scorer for CSK in IPL 2026, with 477 runs in 14 matches. He has a strike rate of 165 and an average of 43. Samson is also the only Chennai player to score a century in the tournament.

Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad is second on the list with 337 runs, with an average of 28 and a strike rate of 123. Questions were raised about Gaikwad’s captaincy and his slow strike rate; however, he continued to open the innings for the side.

Meanwhile, the opening pair significantly underperformed, with only one fifty-plus partnership. Additionally, he introduced Akeal Hosein late in the season, who eventually took 8 wickets in 7 matches. Gaikwad also did not utilise Prashant Veer completely in the campaign.

The 29-year-old’s performance as an opener and his captaincy decisions were questioned throughout the tournament.

2. Lack of collective efforts

Except for Sanju Samson and Ruturaj Gaikwad, no other batsmen scored more than 300 runs for CSK. Dewald Brevis scored only 151 runs in 8 innings at an average of 18.87 and a strike rate of 127.96, while Shivam Dube, CSK’s first-choice finisher, racked only 270 runs, with his highest score being 44.

Meanwhile, Anshul Kamboj (17), the highest wicket-taker for CSK in the current campaign, was performing well for the team in the initial matches.

However, in the last five matches, he has conceded 261 runs while taking only 4 wickets, with an economy rate of 13.98. Apart from Kamboj, only Jamie Overton (14) and Noor Ahmed (13) took more than 10 wickets.

1. Consistent injuries

The Chennai Super Kings’ 2026 campaign was hit by injuries before it even commenced. Before the season started, CSK suffered a huge blow as Australian star pacer Nathan Ellis was ruled out with a hamstring injury. South African batter Dewald Brevis also missed a few initial matches due to injury.

After the tournament started, Khaleel Ahmed’s season ended early due to a Grade 2 quadriceps tear, while Ayush Mhatre developed a hamstring issue after playing six matches.

Jamie Overton, who enjoyed a decent start to his campaign, picking up 14 wickets and scoring 136 runs, also endured a thigh injury. Additionally, Ramakrishnan Ghosh also fractured his foot after only one game.

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