CSK's Extreme Chasing Woes
Abhishek Sharma's 15-ball fifty for SRH on Saturday set the tone for another high-scoring game. SRH were 63/0 after five overs, with a 70% win probability. CSK's bowlers, Anshul Kamboj and Jamie Overton, pulled things back to restrict SRH to 194/9. In response, CSK reached 110/3 at the halfway mark, flipping the win probability to 69% in their favor.
Yet, CSK failed to close out the chase. Needing 84 from the final 10 overs, they managed only 30/2 in the next five. With 54 needed off the last five overs, a set Matthew Short and Shivam Dube at the crease, and Jamie Overton to follow, they fell short by 10 runs. SRH captain Ishan Kishan felt his team was "30-40 runs short," but his inexperienced bowling attack secured the win.
This loss extends CSK's poor chasing record. Since 2024, they are the second-worst team in IPL chases, only ahead of MI.
Team-wise record in chases in the IPL since 2024
| Team | Mat | Won | Lost | Tied | NR | W/L ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RCB | 15 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2.75 |
| PBKS | 22 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| LSG | 12 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1.4 |
| GT | 18 | 10 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1.25 |
| SRH | 12 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1.2 |
| DC | 20 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| RR | 23 | 11 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| KKR | 15 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 1.166 |
| CSK | 16 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0.6 |
| MI | 19 | 7 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0.583 |
The record is worse when chasing 175 or more. Since 2020, CSK have lost 16 of 18 games chasing such targets. In contrast, during 2018-2019, they won five and lost only one. Notably, they won all six chases in their 2021 title win, including three targets of 170-175, heavily featuring Ruturaj Gaikwad. Their highest successful chase in 2023 was 171 in a shortened final.
Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad's form in chases has significantly impacted CSK.
Gaikwad in the IPL since 2022
| Scenario | Inns | Runs | Ave | SR | 50s | 100s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batting First | 31 | 1227 | 40.9 | 144.52 | 10 | 1 |
| Batting Second | 23 | 518 | 25.9 | 126.65 | 3 | 0 |
Gaikwad while batting second in the IPL since 2022
| Result | Inns | Runs | Ave | SR | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | 9 | 308 | 51.33 | 128.87 | 2 |
| Lost | 14 | 210 | 15 | 123.52 | 1 |
In IPL 2026, teams have chosen to bowl first in 24 of 27 matches. CSK chose to field twice (vs RCB and SRH) and lost both. Overall, chasing teams have won 16 of 26 completed games.
CSK are currently seventh in the points table. Failing to finish games from strong positions, as seen against SRH, will further hurt their playoff chances.
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