The defeat left CSK sixth in the points table with 12 points and only one league game left. The team’s playoff qualification is now at the mercy of other results, even if it wins its last match, against Gujarat Titans.
If the Super Kings fail to qualify for the playoffs, it would be their third season in a row of not being able to make it to the last-four stage since their title-winning campaign in 2023.
Reflecting on yet another incomplete season, head coach Stephen Fleming felt the constant change in personnel put the team behind others.
“It’s been a challenge. We knew coming into the season, we were a little bit behind in terms of other teams having a year to bed down their plans. We had made a lot of changes halfway through the first year of the cycle, and then we made more changes going into this year,” Fleming said.
CSK began its season with three straight defeats, and while the side did well to win games to keep its campaign alive, two consecutive defeats against Lucknow Super Giants and Hyderabad put a massive dent in its chances.
“It would have been great to have started well, but we started poorly. I was really proud of the recovery to get back and win, I think, six out of eight games. To get back into the mix was really satisfying,” he said.
“But performances under pressure in the last couple of games just haven’t been quite up to it. We’ve been in the fight, which has been good. If we’d been a little bit more accurate, a little bit more positive, then things could have been different,” he added.
On his own tenure, Fleming said it was the management’s choice if he’d return next season.
“I know there’s been a lot of talk about it, but MS (Dhoni) has been around a lot this year, which has been really important for the team, for a lot of young players, and continuity. So, he’s been a big part; he hasn’t played, but he’s still had a big influence on the team. There are a lot of good things we’ve done. We’ve introduced some new players that will hopefully be next-generation players for CSK, but I know we are judged on results; that’s fair. So, yep, that’s management’s choice,” Fleming reflected.
Ruturaj Gaikwad was announced CSK captain after Dhoni stepped down from the role in 2024. However, the last couple of seasons have produced underwhelming results. But Fleming was quick to back the skipper, saying Gaikwad would be a fine captain for the franchise.
“It’s a big transition from having one of the best captains in the cricket scene, running the franchise for such a long time, to a new captain. So, it’s going to take a little bit of time. But he’s doing a good job. He has a massive amount of respect for this group of players. And he’s learning all the time and putting that into play.”
For Gaikwad, alongside a challenging season leading the side, his returns opening the batting have also been poor. Even though he has scored 321 runs – second-most among CSK batters – they have come at a strike rate of 120.67. Against SRH, he scored 15 off 21 balls without scoring a boundary.
“I think Rutu can do more. He’s done more in the past. He’s been a fine player at the top. He hasn’t produced the quantity of runs and the pace of runs that he’s done in his career. And that’s something that he will address,” Fleming said.
“But in conjunction with Urvil Patel, who’s come in and is pretty free-spirited, so there is a combination aspect to it. But that is something that we will pore over. I thought today got difficult in terms of the pace of the pitch. So, getting through to a score of 180 was more than competitive,” he added.
Published on May 19, 2026
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