Chennai Super Kings captain Ruturaj Gaikwad (PTI Photo/R Senthilkumar) Chennai Super Kings are in uncharted territory. For a franchise built on consistency and quiet starts, losing the first two matches of the IPL season was a rare occurrence. In fact, it has only happened twice in their history — first in 2022 under Ravindra Jadeja and now again in IPL 2026 under Ruturaj Gaikwad. What makes the statistic even more striking is that under MS Dhoni, CSK have gone almost two decades without such a start, underscoring how unusual the current situation is for the five-time champions. The latest setback came against Punjab Kings chasing a tough target of 209 in Chepauk to hand CSK their second straight defeat. Led by Shreyas Iyer, Punjab staged a near-perfect chase to win by five wickets and register their second straight victory. Iyer’s 50 off 29 balls was the cornerstone of the chase as he stitched together a crucial 59 with Nehal Wadhera. The chase was started early by Priyansh Arya’s explosive from just 11 balls and further steadied by contributions from Prabhsimran Singh and Cooper Connolly, which ensured that the required run rate never got out of hand. Earlier, CSK posted a competitive 209 for five, largely thanks to a brilliant 73 off 43 balls from youngster Ayush Mhatre. The youngster dominated Punjab’s attack with fearless stroke play, finding boundaries at will and showcasing his growing confidence. He was well supported by Gaikwad who added 28 in a 96-run stand for the second wicket. However, the shift was not without obstacles. Sanju Samson fell early to lead an ambitious shot for the wicket and the middle overs saw a slowdown as CSK managed just 45 runs between the 10th and 15th overs.Late contributions from Sarfaraz Khan and Shivam Dube helped CSK add 64 runs in the last five overs, taking the total past 200. But it ultimately proved insufficient against a composed Punjab batting unit. The numbers suggest deeper concerns about CSK. Gaikwad is currently enduring the longest losing streak by a captain in franchise history:
- 6 – Ruturaj Gaikwad (2025/26)*
- 4 – Ravindra Jadeja (2022)
- 4 – MS Dhoni (2022/23)
- 4 – MS Dhoni (2025)
For a team that thrived on stability under Dhoni, these back-to-back defeats – and an extended one under Gaikwad – underscore a phase of transition. The challenge now is not just to bounce back in the tournament but to rediscover the consistency that once defined Chennai Super Kings.
