5 things you need to know before reading:
1.
Who took the blame? CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad blamed the entire defeat against RCB on himself after scoring just 7 runs.
2.
What was the result? CSK lost to RCB by 43 runs at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
3.
How bad is CSK’s form? This is the third consecutive defeat for CSK at the start of IPL 2026, putting them at the bottom of the table.
4.
What is the losing streak? Gaikwad has now lost seven consecutive games as CSK captain, dating back to IPL 2025.
5.
What happened in the game? RCB scored 250/3, powered by Tim David’s 70 from 25 balls, and CSK managed just 207 in reply.
Ruturaj Gaikwad takes full blame after CSK’s crushing defeat against RCB
“It’s up to me” – Ruturaj Gaikwad took full responsibility after Chennai Super Kings suffered their third consecutive defeat in IPL 2026, losing to Royal Challengers Bengaluru by 43 runs at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday. The CSK captain scored just 7 runs off 3 balls and was out in the very first over as he chased a mammoth 251-run target.
‘Today it’s definitely up to me’: Ruturaj Gaikwad’s honest self-assessment
Ruturaj Gaikwad didn’t mince his words when assessing his own performance. “I think if I had contributed more at the top of the order, you never know, we would have chased it. So today it’s definitely on me,” Gaikwad said after the game.
The CSK skipper’s opening partner Sanju Samson also struggled and managed just 9 runs. CSK were reduced to 30 for 3 at one point and although Sarfaraz Khan (50 off 25), Prashant Veer (43 off 29) and Jamie Overton (37 off 16) kept them alive until the middle overs, the five-time champions ultimately failed.
Ruturaj Gaikwad’s nightmare: 7 consecutive defeats as CSK captain
This defeat extended Gaikwad’s losing streak to seven consecutive games as CSK captain. The losing streak started in IPL 2025 with a loss against RCB in Chennai and has continued into a challenging start to the 2026 season. The result places Gaikwad alongside Virat Kohli and Yuvraj Singh on an unwanted list of Indian captains with seven consecutive IPL defeats.
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Tim David’s 8 sixes sink CSK, hand another loss to Ruturaj Gaikwad
CSK had the game under control till the 15th matchday. At 151 for 3, RCB looked set for a competitive but trackable total. Then Tim David happened. The powerful batsman hit 70 off just 25 deliveries, including eight sixes, to build an unbeaten 99-run partnership with Rajat Patidar (48 off 19) in just 31 balls.
A crucial moment came in the 18th over when Anshul Kamboj thought he had dismissed David but the delivery was ruled a no-ball. “Anshul almost got a wicket from him. Unfortunately, it was an illegal delivery but after that he just clapped around the park. Hats off to him,” Gaikwad said.
Missed opportunities in the field
CSK were also below par in the field and dropped an early catch from Virat Kohli. “If we had capitalized on Virat’s early chance, perhaps the momentum would have gone to us. We had the game till the 13th or 14th over but then it shifted,” admitted Gaikwad.
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Patidar and Padikkal put CSK in the background
