Ruturaj Gaikwad Faces Criticism as CSK Lose Back-to-Back IPL 2026 Matches

April 04, 2026: Chennai Super Kings captain Ruturaj Gaikwad faced heavy criticism after his team lost by five wickets to Punjab Kings at the Chepauk Stadium on Friday, April 3. This was CSK’s second loss in a row after opening the IPL 2026 season with a defeat to the Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati.

Even though CSK posted a good total of 209/5, their bowlers could not defend it. Shreyas Iyer scored 50 off 29 balls, while Prabhsimran Singh made 43, Priyansh Arya scored 33, and Cooper Connolly added 36. The PBKS chased the target comfortably in 18.4 overs. CSK bowlers Matt Henry (2/54), Anshul Kamboj (2/43), and Rahul Chahar (4/46) gave away 143 runs between them, failing to put pressure on the opposition.

Tactical Mistakes Raise Concerns

Ruturaj Gaikwad was given captaincy despite a mixed record last season, where CSK won just one of five matches before MS Dhoni returned. In the IPL 2026 opener against RR, CSK’s bowling struggled, and the same issue appeared against PBKS. Even after buying Prashant Veer for INR 14 crore, Gaikwad did not use him as a spin option, leaving the spin department weak. Instead, he relied on pacers Matt Henry and Anshul Kamboj, which PBKS exploited to chase the total easily.

This is getting worse for Chennai Super Kings and especially for Ruturaj Gaikwad as captain.

Last game, CSK lost because of the batting. This time, it’s the bowling. When both departments start failing in back-to-back games, that’s a serious concern.

And for Gaikwad, this now… pic.twitter.com/Y5lYYa1Ygl

— Vipin Tiwari (@Vipintiwari952) April 3, 2026

Although CSK’s batting improved compared to the first game, the bowling failures overshadowed the positives. Fans and cricket enthusiasts questioned Gaikwad’s tactical decisions and leadership under pressure.

Fan Reactions on Social Media

With back-to-back defeats and six losses in a row under Gaikwad, CSK is near the bottom of the IPL 2026 table. His captaincy record now stands at 8 wins in 20 matches. Many fans called him “clueless” and “lacking spark,” suggesting that Sanju Samson should take over as captain. Supporters criticized his failure to use key players like Prashant Veer and questioned his on-field strategies, saying his decisions have cost CSK important matches early in the season.