Ruturaj Gaikwad matches Jadeja’s unwanted record, tops CSK list for wrong reasons | Cricket News –

Chennai Super Kings are in unfamiliar territory. For a series built on consistency and composure, losing the first two matches of an IPL season was a rarity. In fact, it has happened only twice in their history – first in 2022 under Ravindra Jadeja and now again in IPL 2026 under Ruturaj Gaikwad. What makes the stats even more surprising is that less

MS Dhoni

CSK have gone almost two decades without such a start, highlighting how strange the current situation is for the five-time champions. The latest setback came against Punjab Kings, who chased down a blistering target of 209 in Chepauk to hand CSK their second successive defeat. Led by Shreyas Iyer, Punjab executed a near-perfect chase, winning by five wickets and registering their second successive win. Iyer’s 50 off 29 balls was the cornerstone of the chase, as he stitched a crucial 59-run stand with Nehal Wadhera. The chase was set up early by Priyansh Arya’s blast 39 off just 11 balls and further stabilized by contributions from Prabhsimran Singh and Cooper Connolly, ensuring the required run rate never got out of control. Earlier, CSK had put on a competitive 209 for five, largely thanks to a brilliant 73 off 43 balls from youngster Aayush Mhatre.

The youngster controlled the Punjab attack with fearless runs, finding boundaries at will and showing his growing confidence. He was well supported by Gaikwad, who added 28 in a 96-run stand for the second wicket. However, the innings was not without setbacks.

Sanju Samson

He fell early, edging an ambitious shot behind the wicket, and the middle overs saw a slowdown as CSK could only manage 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, pushing the total past 200. But they ultimately proved insufficient against the composed Punjabi batting unit. The numbers paint a deeper concern for CSK. Gaikwad is currently enduring the longest losing streak by a captain in franchise history:

For a team that has thrived on stability under Dhoni, these back-to-back defeats – and the extended losing streak under Gaikwad – underscore a transition. The challenge now is not just about getting back to the tournament, it is about rediscovering the consistency that defined Chennai Super Kings.