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Chennai Super Kings (CSK) endured another disappointing Indian Premier League campaign in 2026, finishing eighth in the standings and extending their playoff drought to three consecutive seasons. While the franchise showed signs of improvement compared to the previous year, injuries to several key players once again derailed their ambitions.
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Reflecting on the team's struggles, captain Ruturaj Gaikwad made a surprising comparison with reigning champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), suggesting that even the most successful sides would find it difficult to cope with the kind of injury crisis CSK faced over the past two seasons.
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Ruturaj Gaikwad points to injuries behind CSK's struggles
CSK entered the 2026 season already dealing with significant setbacks. The franchise was forced to navigate the campaign without several important players, with injuries affecting both its Indian and overseas contingent.
Veterans and match-winners such as MS Dhoni and Nathan Ellis were unavailable throughout the season, while players including Ayush Mhatre and Khaleel Ahmed missed substantial portions of the tournament. The injury concerns did not stop there, as Jamie Overton and Dewald Brevis were also sidelined at different stages of the campaign.
Speaking about the team's recent struggles, Ruturaj Gaikwad stressed that such disruptions can have a major impact on any franchise, regardless of its strength.
"The last two years haven't gone the way everyone expected. But you have to understand certain dynamics and factors that affect a season. Even if you look at the successful teams like RCB, if you take away three or four major players, it is definitely going to have an impact."
His remarks highlighted the extent of the challenges CSK had to overcome while attempting to remain competitive in one of the world's toughest T20 leagues.
CSK captain sees signs of progress despite another setback
Although the final standings painted a disappointing picture, Gaikwad believes there were encouraging signs during the 2026 season. CSK managed to register two more victories than they did in the previous campaign and remained in contention for a playoff spot for a significant portion of the tournament.
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The team also benefited from strong contributions from players such as Sanju Samson, who emerged as one of the brighter performers during the season. However, a poor finish ultimately proved costly as CSK ended their campaign with three consecutive defeats.
Despite the recent disappointments, Ruturaj Gaikwad remains optimistic about the future and believes the franchise is moving in the right direction. With several injured stars expected to return and lessons learned from two difficult seasons, CSK will hope to mount a stronger challenge when the next IPL campaign gets underway.
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