Chennai Super Kings (AP Photo)
Former India batsman Ambati Rayudu believes Chennai Super Kings lacked composure and experience on the field during their heavy seven-wicket defeat to Lucknow Super Giants on Friday, especially when young pacer Anshul Kamboj was subjected to relentless attack from Mitchell Marsh and
Nicholas Buran
. CSK’s bowling attack had no answers as they chased down LSG’s 188 in just 16.4 overs at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. The night became particularly tough for Kamboj, who was smashed for four straight sixes by Mitchell Marsh in one over before Nicholas Pooran repeated the same assault later in the innings. The young player eventually finished with figures of 0/63 in 2.4 overs.
Speaking on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut program after the match, Rayudu said that CSK lacked senior players on the field who could have stepped in and helped Kamboj regain his composure during the brutal period. “I feel like CSK, when you look at them on the ground, there are not a lot of smart or experienced heads there, players who can control the game, who can go and pat him and say, ‘Boss, just wait, wait for ten seconds, tie your necklace,'” Rayudu said. The former CSK batsman felt that someone needed to break Kamboj’s rhythm of negative thoughts while the assault was taking place. Rayudu added that wicket-keeper Sanju Samson was too far away from the game to have an immediate impact in that moment of pressure.
“Maybe ask him: ‘Do you think a slower ball could work?’ Do you think we can throw the Yorkie away now?” He merely changed his train of thought. “Don’t let him get lost at that moment,” he added. Despite the nightmare, Rayudu defended the youngster and insisted Kamboj had simply collided with two batsmen operating at an extraordinary level. “The guy has been bowling very well all season and you’re bound to have a bad day. It’s like having a duck or a golden duck.”
If you look at the balls he bowled, except for the last ball of the one down leg, most of them were good deliveries. “It was an amazing hit,” he said. The chase was headlined by Marsh’s explosive 90 off just 38 balls, an innings filled with seven sixes and nine fours. The Australian tore through the CSK attack from the start and reached his half-century in just 21 deliveries. His most devastating phase came in the fifth over when he attacked Kamboj for four successive sixes and a boundary, amassing 28 runs in the final over as LSG raced to 67/0 after five overs. Marsh and Josh Inglis added a massive 135-run opening partnership that effectively settled the contest within the powerplay itself, with LSG reaching 86/0 after six overs and 124/0 after 10 overs. Although CSK briefly pulled things back with the wickets of Inglis and Marsh in successive deliveries, Pooran ensured there was no collapse. With 24 runs needed from the last four overs, the left-hander launched another brutal attack on Kamboj, hitting four successive overs to end the chase in style. Earlier, CSK posted 187/5 after useful contributions from Kartik Sharma, who scored 71, and Shivam Dubey, who remained unbeaten with 32. However, the total proved not enough in the face of an unstoppable batting display from LSG. The defeat left Chennai Super Kings in sixth place in the 2026 Indian Premier League points table with 12 points from 12 matches, having won and lost six matches each.