Losing by seven wickets under Friday’s lights, Chennai Super Kings’ skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad pointed straight at his bowlers’ off-day as the reason things went south fast, a loss now tightening the screws on CSK’s slim chances of making the IPL 2026 knockout stage.
Twelve points from twelve games leave the five-time title winners needing victories in their last two fixtures, hoping other outcomes go their way to keep playoff hopes alive. A blistering knock by Mitchell Marsh tipped the balance when LSG, eliminated already, handed Chennai a heavy setback.
Ruturaj Gaikwad backs CSK to bounce back despite the setback
“Bowling had an off-day today,” Gaikwad said after the match. “The first challenge is getting to Chennai and making sure we improve on the areas we need to improve, and then adapt and assess the conditions in the remaining two league games.”
Even after the tough defeat, the CSK captain said things hadn’t spiralled, staying hopeful on his team’s path forward.
“It is simple, nothing complicated. Nothing to worry about. Just ensure we have a good day and hope that we turn things around,” he added.
Only later did Gaikwad admit the score felt just enough, given how the pitch favoured fast bowlers. Still, he tipped his cap to Lucknow’s hitters, who came hard from the start, turning calm plans into noise.
“There was a bit of something for the fast bowlers. It was difficult to hit off a hard length. We were looking at 160-170 and got 180, so there wasn’t much more we could have done from a batting point of view,” he explained.
“They batted really well and played some extraordinary shots. We wanted to bowl short, but Josh Inglis played differently in the last game, and Marsh handles the short ball very well, so we tried to hit hard lengths. We missed our execution, but they played exceptional cricket. Sometimes the opposition simply plays better than you, and you have to accept it.”
Even though their playoff hopes were gone, winning still felt good, Rishabh Pant mentioned. The Lucknow Super Giants leader gave credit to his players for sticking through tough patches. Mistakes came when minds raced too far ahead, he noted; simple focus slipped at sharp turns. Moments like that shaped the season more than anyone expected.
“It feels good to win. Regardless of how the season ends, we take pride in playing like this,” Pant said. “Using four fast bowlers has worked for us. The team we have is amazing. The only thing that can harm us is having too many thought processes.”
Besides batting lower, Pant said he stepped aside to let others play - those who hadn’t gotten many chances earlier. Giving space felt right when some names stayed on the bench too long.
“I was ready to bat tonight, but the idea was to try players who haven’t played much. I still wanted to be out there, but sometimes you have to respect certain things,” he added.
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