The Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) IPL 2026 campaign began chaotically at the Barsapara Stadium on Monday, as their batting unit imploded against the Rajasthan Royals (RR).
The absence of MS Dhoni loomed large,
not just in leadership but in composure.
Top Order Collapse Leaves Fans Fuming
From the outset, things spiralled quickly. CSK slumped to 41/4 inside the powerplay, with the top order offering little resistance. By the time they crawled to 82/8 in just 12.5 overs, the contest had effectively shifted from a chaseable game to damage limitation.
The collapse triggered an avalanche of reactions online.
Sanju Samson Quota of 3 matches per year peaked at the right time for Team India 😂😂 Now, let’s see if he follows same pattern and fails whole ipl or actually show that he has changed and performs once again.
— Shubh Gupta (@ShubhGupta_SG16) March 30, 2026
Without MS DHONI, CSK is Nothing!#CSKvsRR pic.twitter.com/U3e4OjZLSA
— GAURAV (@Gaurav_HRX) March 30, 2026
Even antis are shocked. What is this CSK… pic.twitter.com/Hsj0eSQ9ci
— Xuser (@Xuser8911) March 30, 2026
There was even a touch of dark humour among fans amid the chaos.
More trees have been planted today than the last two games combined. CSK has always been more than a club. Sometimes, there are things better than just winning.
— PS (@dostoevesque) March 30, 2026
CSK is the new RCB of the league 🤣🤣
— Hitesh (@HiteshA95) March 30, 2026
Lower Order Salvage Job Saves Face
At one stage, CSK were in real danger of recording their lowest-ever IPL total. That embarrassment was narrowly avoided thanks to a late resistance from Sarfaraz Khan, Jamie Overton, and debutant Kartik Sharma.
The trio managed to drag the innings to some degree of respectability, each contributing in double digits while the more established names faltered.
Overton’s heroic 43-run innings was the only saving grace, which ultimately helped CSK save face, as they slumped to a lowly 127 runs by the end of their innings.
