MS Dhoni-Less CSK Officially Out Of IPL 2026

CSK bow out of IPL 2026 playoff race [Source: AFP]

In an inevitable end to their IPL 2026 campaign, CSK, five-time champions, are officially out of the playoff race. After a humiliating defeat against the Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, CSK faced elimination.

It all started spiralling down for CSK when they opted to field first after winning the toss. GT openers Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill came out all guns blazing, stitching up a 125-run opening stand.

Jos Buttler’s half-century provided the necessary late boost as GT finished with a par total of 229/4 at the end of the first innings.

CSK eliminated from IPL 2026

Meanwhile, in the chase, CSK suffered an early blow as injured Sanju Samson was sent back on a golden duck by Mohammed Siraj. Matthew Short’s 24 from 14 balls wasn’t a threatening knock, and Chennai just collapsed after that.

Urvil Patel and Dewald Brevis were dismissed on single-digit scores, while only Shivam Dube showed some fight with 47 off just 17 balls. But Rashid Khan got the breakthrough at the right time to seal the game for GT.

CSK eventually got bowled out on 140 in just 13.4 overs to suffer their eighth loss of the season. And with that, CSK stands officially eliminated from the IPL 2026 playoff race.

With 12 points from 6 wins in 14 games, CSK will sit in the seventh position as RR, PBKS, and KKR fight for the last spot remaining in the playoffs.

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CSK miss playoffs for the second time

Chennai Super Kings, one of the most successful teams in the IPL, have hit a downfall since MS Dhoni quit captaincy. Under the leadership of Ruturaj Gaikwad, the team hasn’t hit the right combination.

In IPL 2025, they finished at the bottom of the table for the first time in IPL history, though MS Dhoni captained the team after Gaikwad’s injury. 

But this year, Dhoni didn’t play a single game. Moreover, the costly additions of Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma also couldn’t change CSK’s fate. They lost three games in a row in the first half but picked themselves up at the right time.

However, the inconsistency cost them big time as CSK again failed to qualify for the IPL playoffs for the second time in a row.

How many teams are still in contention?

After CSK’s elimination, the race for the playoffs is now reduced to just three participants, RR, PBKS, and KKR. The Rajasthan Royals have their fate in their own hands, as a win against the Mumbai Indians will get them through.

For PBKS, however, winning alone won’t be enough. They must hope for RR to lose, as NRR could come into play if they win.

Meanwhile, for KKR, winning their last fixture against DC is non-negotiable. However, apart from that, they would still need RR and PBKS to lose with a significant margin.

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