Chennai Chennai Super Kings’ season continues to swing frustratingly out of rhythm, with its campaign hitting another bump following a home defeat to Gujarat Titans in IPL 2026 on Sunday. In a tournament where momentum is everything, CSK has found itself chasing it more often than having it.

Head coach Stephen Fleming acknowledged the side’s inconsistency, while also pointing to the challenging surface and demanding early conditions that made stroke-making difficult. “It’s definitely a tough one. Batting was extremely challenging; it looked difficult even from the outside,” Fleming said.

“I don’t want to sound like I’m making excuses, but the first 10 overs were particularly tough. Their bowlers made the most of it, generating extra bounce and exploiting the moisture in the pitch, which created problems for us. We couldn’t build any momentum until the final few overs.”

Fleming also admitted that the team fell short in executing its plans. “Some of it was due to our own shortcomings,” he added. Despite the stuttering campaign, Fleming struck a cautiously optimistic tone ahead of the upcoming games.

“We need to keep being positive. It’s been one step forward, two steps back as of now. If that pattern continues, hopefully the next step is a win,” he said with a smile. “It’s a very tight competition — the toughest in the world — but that won’t stop us from staying positive and looking forward to the next game.”

GT all-rounder Jason Holder, meanwhile, praised the impact of the new-ball pair, Mohammed Siraj and Kagiso Rabada. “We felt there was a lot in the wicket. There was moisture and some steep bounce early on, which really helped us. Both Rabada and Siraj were outstanding and that created a lot of problems for them,” he said.