Anil Kumble sounds alarm for CSK after third straight loss: ‘Need to tighten things up quickly’

Anil Kumble criticizes CSK's poor start in IPL, urging senior players to perform.

Updated on: Apr 6, 2026, 17:27:20 IST

Written by HT Sports Desk | Edited by Probuddha Bhattacharjee

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Anil Kumble blasts CSK’s early IPL form, urges experienced players to step up, ‘Need to tighten things up quickly’

Ruturaj Gaikwad during an IPL match between Chennai Super Kings and Punjab Kings. (PTI)

The Indian Premier League season comes with its own internal and external challenges for franchises, and how a team responds often defines its journey. Chennai Super Kings, the joint-most successful team in IPL history with 5 titles alongside arch-rivals Mumbai Indians, find themselves in an unfamiliar position this season. The giants are going through an underwhelming phase, having lost three consecutive matches to start the campaign under captain Ruturaj Gaikawad.

CSK currently sit 10th on the table with a negative NRR of 2.517, drawing attention from both fans and pundits for the lack of intent at the top of their order. The questions continue to grow around experienced batters Sanju Samson and Gaikwad, who have failed to provide momentum early on. Thus, adding extra pressure on their inexperienced middle order led by the likes of Ayush Mhatre and Sarfaraz Khan

Former Indian cricketer and legendary spinner, Anil Kumble, did not hold back in his assessment of CSK’s situation while speaking on Star Sports.“It’s a massive concern for Chennai. If your two most experienced batters, Sanju Samson and Ruturaj Gaikwad, haven’t fired in the first three matches, it becomes a serious challenge. The rest of the batting line-up, apart from Samson and MS Dhoni, is quite young. You need at least one of your experienced batters to step up and deliver a big innings. Unfortunately, in the first three games, things haven’t gone Chennai’s way. It’s still early in the season, but they will need to tighten things up quickly,” said Kumble.

Kumble's concern is hard to ignore

Samson, brought in for ₹18 crores as an experienced batter and long-term wicketkeeper replacement for their legend, MS Dhoni, has just managed 22 runs in the first 3 matches of the season. He has yet to replicate the form that saw India win the T20 World Cup 2026.

Gaikwad, who took over the reins from MS Dhoni back in 2024, continues to enjoy management’s backing, but results haven’t followed yet. With just 41 runs in three games this season and 7 consecutive losses for him as a captain, including the end of season 2025, he too has failed to lead from the front when needed most.

Also Read: Which IPL 2026 team has used the Impact Sub rule best? A look at the smartest and worst calls so far

CSK’s batting this season hasn’t just lacked runs but also lacked stability to build a successful innings. The experienced opening pair of Samson and Gaikwad have just managed 62 runs so far, leaving the rest of the lineup exposed. Without one of them standing tall, the pressure only builds on the young batting group, who are still finding their feet in the league.

For CSK, who have built their legacy on composure and experience in tough situations, this season feels like a transition period.

The message, however, remains clear: if CSK wants any chance from here to go far in this IPL season, the experienced ones at the top of the order have to step up and set the tone for the rest.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Probuddha Bhattacharjee
Probuddha Bhattacharjee is a sports writer and analyst with expertise spanning cricket, football, and multi-sport events, with a strong emphasis on data-driven journalism and tactical storytelling. He currently focuses on international cricket, the Indian Premier League, global tournaments, and emerging trends shaping modern sport, blending advanced statistics with strong narrative context to explain performance, strategy, and decision-making. His work aims to bridge the gap between numbers and storytelling, helping readers understand not just what happened on the field, but the tactical and structural reasons behind it. Trained in data journalism through the Google News Initiative (GNI) Data Journalism Lab, Probuddha works extensively with ball-by-ball datasets, performance metrics, and trend-based modelling to produce evidence-backed reports, explainers, and long-form features. His analytical approach focuses not only on outcomes but also on process—selection strategies, phase-wise tactics, workload management, and the influence of preparation and planning on match results. He is particularly interested in how statistical patterns reshape conventional cricketing narratives and provide clearer tactical insight for modern audiences. Beyond cricket, Probuddha has written analytical and news-driven pieces on football and other major sporting events, with a growing interest in sports governance, scheduling dynamics, and the economics of elite competitions. He also tracks how rule changes, franchise structures, and broadcast pressures influence the evolution of contemporary sport. He has previously contributed to platforms such as OneCricket, Sportskeeda, and CrickTracker, and continues to specialise in analytical storytelling, live coverage, and audience-focused reporting. His work prioritises clarity, context, and credibility, while consistently exploring innovative ways to present data through accessible narratives and structured match analysis.Read More

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