CSK lost to PBKS by 5 wickets in Chennai. Courtesy: APAijaz Rahi

CSK's biggest concern for the rest of IPL 2026 will be bowling, warns Sunil Gavaskar

IPL 2026, CSK vs PBKS: Sunil Gavaskar said Chennai Super Kings' bowling remains a major concern after their defeat to Punjab Kings, adding that the batters will be under pressure to post big totals in most matches.

04 Apr 2026, 07:46 by Sabyasachi Chowdhury · India Today

In Short

Sunil Gavaskar cites CSK's bowling as main concern for IPL 2026
CSK failed to defend 209 against Punjab Kings
The Super Kings are languishing at the bottom of the table

Former India batter Sunil Gavaskar believes Chennai Super Kings (CSK) could struggle with their bowling throughout IPL 2026. On Friday, April 3, CSK suffered a five-wicket defeat to Shreyas Iyer’s Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

Batting first, the Super Kings posted 209 for five, riding on Ayush Mhatre’s 73, along with useful cameos from Shivam Dube and Sarfaraz Khan. However, their bowlers failed to defend the total as PBKS chased it down with five wickets in hand.

Gavaskar said CSK’s underwhelming bowling attack could put extra pressure on the batters, who may need to score around 225-230 consistently to keep the team competitive.

| IPL 2026: CSK vs PBKS Highlights, Scorecard |

“From what we’ve seen so far, CSK’s biggest concern for the rest of the tournament will be their bowling. It means they may have to consistently score around 225–230 to give their bowlers a chance,” Gavaskar said while speaking on Star Sports’ 'Amul Cricket Live'.

‘CSK NEED TO GET BOWLING IN ORDER’

Gavaskar said that with most teams in the competition boasting deep batting line-ups, the Super Kings need to address their bowling concerns at the earliest.

“Most teams now have significant batting depth, like we saw with Punjab Kings where Marcus Stoinis came in at No. 7 and struck the ball cleanly with proper cricketing shots. With many sides batting deep, Chennai will need to get their bowling in order,” Gavaskar added.

The Super Kings finished at the bottom of the table last season, the first time in their history they ended there. They haven’t enjoyed the best start this time either, having opened their campaign with an eight-wicket defeat to Rajasthan Royals, who chased down 128 with 47 balls to spare. CSK then suffered another loss against PBKS and are currently languishing at the bottom of the table with a net run rate of -2.562, the worst among all 10 teams.

- Ends