Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain Ruturaj Gaikwad admitted that his side fell short with the ball after suffering a heavy seven-wicket defeat to Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in their 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) clash at the Ekana Stadium on Friday. Despite posting a competitive total, CSK were comprehensively outplayed by an aggressive LSG batting performance led by Mitchell Marsh.
Marsh produced a stunning knock of 90 off just 38 deliveries, dismantling the CSK attack and setting the tone for the chase. Alongside Josh Inglis, who contributed 36, the Australian all-rounder put together a commanding 135-run opening stand that virtually sealed the contest in LSG’s favour. Nicholas Pooran later applied the finishing touches with an unbeaten 32
as Lucknow chased down 188 in only 16.4 overs. CSK’s bowlers struggled to stem the flow of runs, with Mukesh Choudhary and Spencer Johnson the only wicket-takers on the night.
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Reflecting on the defeat, Gaikwad said the conditions had initially offered some assistance to the seamers, making the final score a respectable one.
“There was a bit of something for the fast bowlers. Found it difficult to hit it off a hard length. We were looking at 160-170, and got 180. Nothing much better we could have done from a batting point of view,” Gaikwad said after the match.
He also explained that CSK’s bowling plans were based on the strengths of Marsh and Inglis, but the execution fell short under pressure.
“They (LSG) batted well and played some extraordinary shots. We were looking to bowl the short ball but Inglis played differently in the last game, and Marsh plays the short ball well, so we were trying to hit a hard length. We missed on execution but they played extraordinary shots,” he added.
‘Have To Accept It’
Despite the setback, Gaikwad remained optimistic about CSK’s playoff hopes. “Sometimes the opposition can play better cricket than you, and you have to accept it. From a batting point of view, Kartik getting that 70-odd was impressive. Going into the last couple of games, really confident that we are starting to click in the batting. Bowling had an off-day today. (On their playoff hopes) It is simple, nothing complicated. Nothing to worry about, just ensure we have a good day and hope that we turn things around,” Gaikwad said.
(With inputs from Agencies)
