Things are going from bad to worse for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the ongoing Indian Premier League 2026 (IPL 2026). The five-time IPL champions have opened their 2026 season with three straight losses, leaving one and all to understand what went wrong with them.
The biggest shock is that Chennai Super Kings’ batting is not clicking at all and their bowling attack is also leaking runs, and the team looks completely out of rhythm this season. The Men in Yellow once ruled the IPL, but they have now been searching for their own identity for the past couple of seasons.
Akeal Hosein’s absence raises big questions as CSK’s hits rock bottom in IPL 2026
In the middle of this chaos, one thing surprised everyone even more, and that is the absence of their new West Indies all-rounder Akeal Hosein. Chennai Super Kings didn’t use Hosein in any of the first three games, despite him being one of their key picks at the IPL 2026 auction.
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The franchise spent ₹2 crore to bring Hosein in as a direct replacement for Ravindra Jadeja, who was released along with Sam Curran to bring Sanju Samson to the side from Rajasthan Royals.
The West Indies star was expected to replace Ravindra Jadeja’s role in the Chennai side. Actually, Akeal is also a left-arm spinner and handy lower-order batter. He was exactly the type of player CSK needed to balance their team after parting ways with Jadeja.
Akeal Hosein sidelined with side strain?
Akeal could offer left-arm spin in the powerplay, control runs even in the middle overs, and add some depth in batting, yet he remained on the bench while the CSK struggled in the first three games. This left many wondering if it was a tactical call or if the franchise was hiding something.
Now, the real reason has finally come out. It is being said that Akeal Hosein has been carrying a side strain since the start of the tournament. The injury might be the reason to keep him out of those games. He is still not match-fit and likely to miss CSK’s next match against Delhi Capitals.
𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘 🚨🟡: Akeal hosein suffering from a side strain and is not match fit for Delhi Capitals Clash. [@arattaiSquad]#CSK #IPL2026 #IPL #MSDhoni pic.twitter.com/ODN8c9KDk3
— Super Kings Centre (@superkingcentre) April 7, 2026
“This would never happen under MS Dhoni” – Ambati Rayudu slams Ruturaj Gaikwad’s captaincy
Meanwhile, Chennai Super Kings’ poor bowling plans faced heavy backlash after their third straight loss in IPL 2026. CSK was outplayed by RCB by 43 runs in Bengaluru, thanks to their death over blunder. They conceded 78 runs in the death overs, including a massive 30-run by Jamie Overton in the last over. His around-the-wicket angle left cricket experts confused.
Ambati Rayudu criticized Chennai Super Kings for sticking to the same plan again and again even when it keeps failing. The former CSK star even pointed out how things used to be handled differently when MS Dhoni was leading the side.
Rayudu was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo: “More than a bad plan, they just stuck to that bad plan. There was nobody to intervene, take those 20–30 seconds, slow things down, and guide the bowler. They should have just reset a little.”
He added, “They’ve tried that in practice over the years, but it never translated into matches because MS didn’t approve of that angle in the death overs. Even as batters, we found it easy to counter—just step half a foot outside the crease, and the angle is nullified.”
