A rocky opening marked the Chennai Super Kings’ run in IPL 2026. They dropped two games straight, falling by five wickets to Punjab Kings on April 3 at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium under Friday lights. Their score was 209, which looked solid. Still, it crumbled fast when Punjab reached the mark in just 18.4 overs, showing sharp gaps in CSK's attack and game planning.

Now, questions grow louder about how CSK picked its squad and handled key moments on the field. Outspoken ex-India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, long linked with the franchise, pointed fingers at leadership choices, especially who got chosen to play. Instead of going full strength abroad, they went light: only two foreign faces made it in. Big names such as Jamie Overton and Matthew Short sat idle following that first stumble against the Rajasthan Royals. That move surprised many observers, more so when Punjab hammered boundaries freely under weak attack.

Ravichandran Ashwin questions CSK’s tactics and the underutilisation of players

Odd that Prashant Veer didn’t bowl once, Ravichandran Ashwin noted, even though he made it into the team. On a Chepauk pitch where turn often plays big, his spin might’ve tipped things. Yet they sent him in only to bat, seventh in line. He finished with six runs, not out, facing seven deliveries - too little, really, to shift anything. His presence felt more like formality than function.

He went on to question CSK’s choices at the auction, pointing out they had plenty of funds going into IPL 2026 yet passed on seasoned names - David Miller, Jason Holder, even Lungi Ngidi and Cooper Connolly. Their focus shifted toward untested local picks: Kartik Sharma and Prashant Veer got big backing. So far, though, those moves haven’t translated into real impact on the field.

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“These are not the kind of decisions we associate with CSK,” Ravichandran Ashwin remarked. Supporting newcomers makes sense, provided they actually play enough. Without real minutes on the field, judging what they can do feels pointless. Odd choices kept coming; Jamie Overton vanished from the lineup after doing well last round, no explanation offered. At the same time, Matthew Short sat out too, another head-scratcher. What stays unclear is how decisions like these fit together.

Bottom of the table now, after back-to-back defeats and a weak run margin, CSK struggle for momentum. Facing stronger opposition next, they meet title holders Royal Challengers Bengaluru under Sunday's lights, April 5, at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. This match looms large, shaping what might come in their campaign ahead.