CSK in 2026: A season of stagnation amid flickers of hope

When you reach the bottom, the only way is up. From that standpoint, one might assume Chennai Super Kings showed some improvement compared to 2025. They finished 10th last season and climbed to 8th in IPL 2026, with two additional wins to show for it. The season began and finished with three successive losses. Between those two stretches of defeats, there were glimpses of promise. Ayush Mhatre gave reason for optimism going ahead, Sanju Samson delivered in his maiden season for the franchise, Anshul Kamboj's stocks went up and Jamie Overton emerged as a new hero.

Injuries at crucial junctures didn't help CSK's cause, repeatedly disrupting combinations and momentum. Eventually, frustration grew significantly among the disgruntled, passionate CSK fanbase after a third consecutive season without a playoff appearance. CSK closed IPL 2026 with cautious hope around a young core, growing criticism directed at the coach-captain setup, and of course, the lingering MS Dhoni question after his no-show this season.

Despite playing just 10 games in the season, Overton stood out as CSK's best player in IPL 2026. His absence right at the end proved costly, significantly hurting their push for the final playoff spot. Overton was the key enforcer in the middle overs, striking at regular intervals and providing CSK with much-needed breakthroughs at crucial moments. He also quickly became a fan favourite this year amongst the Chepauk faithful. Apart from picking 14 wickets from 10 games, Overton was also a key figure in that lower middle order with the bat especially in Dhoni's absence.

At a time when openers across the league have taken Powerplay batting to a completely new level in T20 cricket, CSK's opening pair never really got going in IPL 2026. CSK's opening partnership this season ranked last in run rate and 9th in average among all teams.

Only once did Ruturaj Gaikwad and Sanju Samson bat beyond the Powerplay together, highlighting the lack of stability at the top. While Samson eventually finished as their best batter of the season, Gaikwad endured a particularly difficult campaign, registering one of the lowest strike rates among regular openers in the tournament.

: Akeal Hosein

CSK won most of the games Hosein played. However, due to multiple factors, they couldn't fit him in the XII every game since they already had their big-money signing Noor Ahmad. Hosein picked up 8 wickets from the 7 games he played and conceded runs at only 8.02 an over. Whenever he was picked, his inputs also elevated Noor's performances for CSK. It's worth noting that the West Indies spinner was bought for his base price of INR 2 crore.

: Prashant Veer

Hosein's presence also hampered Prashant Veer big time and that pretty much summarises CSK's campaign. Some of their moves in the auction didn't make sense and Veer's acquisition for a whopping INR 14.2 crore now looks like a gamble that has failed. Despite being bought for such a massive price, he played just six games for CSK. The other big money signing, Kartik Sharma, endured a hard time as well before eventually redeeming himself right at the end.

: The win over Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede.

Any victory over the arch-rivals is memorable. And if it turns out to be a mauling, then that would remain special for the fans. The game saw Samson score his second century for CSK before Hosein and Noor combined to pick six wickets and subject MI to a humiliating 103-run defeat.

4/10

A season headlined by injuries and poor form from their leading stars, CSK in 2026 felt like a team constantly falling behind the new order as multiple franchises continued to usurp them. While there were encouraging individual signs for the future, the overall campaign demands serious retrospection and clarity heading into the final year of the ongoing cycle.