Former Australian cricketer and Royal Challengers Bengaluru batter Aaron Finch has questioned Chennai Super Kings’ approach against RCB in IPL 2026, saying the visitors paid the price for poor planning in a 43-run defeat at Bengaluru. It was CSK’s third straight loss of the season, and Finch felt the result reflected deeper issues than just a bad day with the ball.
RCB, on the other hand, have started the tournament in dominant fashion with two convincing wins, showing the kind of intent and clarity that has set a strong early benchmark. CSK, meanwhile, have endured a frustrating beginning, losing all three of their matches, two of them by heavy margins. As Finch pointed out, that kind of start is a worrying sign for a team known for its consistency.
On Sunday night, CSK remained in the contest for large parts of the first innings, but Tim David changed the momentum with a powerful finish that blew the game open. From that point on, Chennai’s death-over plans appeared to unravel, and RCB capitalised on every mistake to post a commanding total.
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“For me, as a captain, you can always understand poor execution. If the plan is right and the bowler has bought into it and they misexecute, that is okay. Because you know that that is something they have practised over and over and that is going to happen,” Aaron Finch said on ESPNCricinfo.
“[But] was the planning right? I don’t think it was. Was the execution right? No, it absolutely was not. So when you are missing both of them, that is a worrying sign,” he added.
Ambati Rayudu echoed that view, saying CSK did not just stick to a bad plan, they failed to pause and reset under pressure. He felt the bowlers needed clearer guidance at crucial moments.
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RCB were 153/3 at the start of the 16th over, but the final phase belonged to the home side. The next overs went for 19, 21, 14, 30 and 13 runs, with only Anshul Kamboj managing to hold his nerve while the others came under severe pressure.
