Chennai Super Kings endured a nightmare start to their IPL 2026 campaign as their batting unit collapsed against Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati on March 30. After being asked to bat first, CSK lost both openers early, with Ruturaj Gaikwad (6 off 11) and Sanju Samson (6 off 7) failing to provide a solid foundation.
The troubles only deepened as the top order crumbled under pressure. Ayush Mhatre departed for a two-ball duck, while Matt Short managed just 2 runs, leaving CSK reeling at four wickets down inside the powerplay. The collapse echoed their struggles from IPL 2025, reigniting concerns around their batting consistency.
As wickets continued to tumble, CSK introduced Sarfaraz Khan as an Impact Player. He showed brief intent with a quick 17 off 12 balls but couldn’t convert his start, becoming another victim of RR’s disciplined bowling attack. His dismissal further exposed CSK’s fragile middle order.
WATCH – Ravindra Jadeja Gives Fiery Send Off To Shivam Dube After Six In IPL 2026 Clash
Much attention was on young wicketkeeper Kartik Sharma, who was signed for a hefty INR 14.2 crore and seen as a long-term replacement for MS Dhoni. While Sharma displayed glimpses of promise, scoring 17 off 15 balls, he too failed to anchor the innings when it mattered most.
Shivam Dube also couldn’t make an impact, falling cheaply for 6 runs, as CSK’s batting woes continued to unravel. The absence of Dhoni, currently sidelined with a calf injury, seemed to weigh heavily on the team’s structure and confidence.
WATCH – Jofra Archer Dismisses Ruturaj Gaikwad Cheaply As CSK Suffer Early Collapse
At one stage, CSK were reduced to 74/7 in just over 10 overs, and they were bundled for 127 runs in the 20th over, with Jamie Overton and Noor Ahmad left to salvage the innings. Overall, it was a concerning start for the five-time champions, raising serious questions about their batting depth early in IPL 2026.
overcast conditions, damp pitch, and batting collapse.. 🥲😭 Adei CSK
— Zan (@RakitaMode) March 30, 2026
CSK fans said “nice batting” and the scoreboard said “come outside real quick.”
51-4 in 7 overs… is this a collapse or just a delayed warm-up?
— Aqua Insane 👏 (@himanshu__sriv) March 30, 2026
CSK and their love saga with batting collapse continues…..#IPL #CSKvsRR @ChennaiIPL
— Kaku (@Kakufied) March 30, 2026
Whatever residual guilt that Jaddu might have been holding on to from the past year, would now have been wiped clean after seeing CSK collapse hopelessly even in his absence.
— Varadhu Kutty (@KuttyVaradhu) March 30, 2026
CSK have lost quick wickets in the powerplay (including Sarfaraz Khan to Jadeja on debut for RR). It’s a tough collapse, and RR are firmly in control with win probability around 88-91%. Dhoni’s men need a miracle recovery from the lower order to post a fighting total on this…
— The Universe (@RashmikaHQ) March 30, 2026
When will Thala come to bat and salvage this collapse? pic.twitter.com/bgKPtqO8nm
— Satir 🤠 (@mesatirr) March 30, 2026
CSK is the worse team in IPL since last 3 seasons & no one even comes close. They are again competing for the bottom of the table. Completely clueless.
— Rajiv (@Rajiv1841) March 30, 2026
CSK stands for Collapse Super Kings since the last 2 seasons.
— Meghraj🍃 (@meghraj_op) March 30, 2026
