AHMEDABAD: Chennai Super Kings’ IPL-2026 campaign ended in a crushing 89-run defeat to Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium here on Thursday, a result that confirmed their elimination from the playoffs race and marked their heaviest defeat by runs in the tournament.

For a franchise built on consistency, it was another sobering finish. CSK ended with six wins and eight defeats from 14 matches. Among the batters, Sanju Samson was the standout, finishing with 477 runs from 14 innings. Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, whose scoring rate was debated through the season,managed 337 runs at a strike-rate of 123.44. With the ball, Anshul Kamboj was one of CSK’s brighter spots and finished among the leading wickettakers with 21 wickets, though his economy rate of 10.52 underlined the pressure the attack came under. MS Dhoni’s fitness and availability remained a seasonlong subplot. The former captain did not play a single league-stage match.

Gaikwad, speaking at the post-match presentation, defended the side’s transition phase. “Not many people buy the fact that we are a young team in transition, with a lot of inexperienced players. More than eight to 10 players have played less than 20 games. They have got exposure. We’ve found out what areas we’re lacking,” he said.
CSK bowling coach Eric Simons also pointed to the need for a detailed review, both of individual performances and the squad’s overall composition. “Each player goes away with something to work on. As a bowling coach, I put reports together for each guy for the next nine months, so that they can come back and improve. As individuals, that is important,” Simons said.
“When we play well, we’re a good unit. It has happened often in this IPL. But there are also conditions that perhaps don’t suit the makeup of our team. Those are the skills we either have to develop, or we have to recruit someone different.”
“We’re a very new side. There are a lot of young cricketers. We know a lot more about them. That’s an important learning for Stephen (Fleming) as head coach — to know the balance of the side,” he added.

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