IPL 2026: 'Not too many smart heads there'- Ambati Rayudu questions CSK leadership

Former India batter Ambati Rayudu believes Chennai Super Kings missed calm and experienced heads on the field during their heavy seven-wicket defeat against Lucknow Super Giants on Friday, especially when young pacer Anshul Kamboj came under relentless attack from Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran.

CSK’s bowling attack had no answers as LSG chased down 188 in just 16.4 overs at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. The night turned particularly difficult for Kamboj, who was smashed for four consecutive sixes by Mitchell Marsh in one over before Nicholas Pooran repeated the same assault later in the innings. The young pacer eventually finished with figures of 0/63 in 2.4 overs.

Speaking on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut show after the match, Rayudu said CSK lacked senior players on the field who could have stepped in and helped Kamboj regain composure during the brutal spell.

“I feel the CSK side, when you look at them at the ground, there are not too many smart heads or experienced heads there, players who could just control the game, who can go and give him a pat and say, ‘Boss, just wait, hang on for ten seconds, tie your laces up',” Rayudu said.

The former CSK batter felt someone needed to break Kamboj’s rhythm of negative thoughts while the assault was unfolding. Rayudu added that wicketkeeper Sanju Samson was too far away from the action to make an immediate impact in that pressure moment.

“Maybe ask him, ‘Do you think a slower ball can work? Do you think we can bowl a yorker now?' Just change his chain of thought. Don't let him get lost in that moment,” he added.

Despite the nightmare outing, Rayudu defended the youngster and insisted Kamboj had simply run into two batters operating at an extraordinary level.

“The guy has been bowling so well throughout the season, you're bound to have a bad day. It's like getting a duck or a golden duck. If you look at the balls he bowled, except for maybe the last ball of that over down the leg side, most of them were decent deliveries. It was just incredible hitting,” he said.

The chase was headlined by Marsh’s explosive 90 off just 38 balls, an innings packed with seven sixes and nine fours. The Australian tore into the CSK attack from the start and reached his half-century in only 21 deliveries. His most destructive phase came in the fifth over when he hammered Kamboj for four successive sixes and a boundary, collecting 28 runs in the over as LSG raced to 67/0 after five overs.

Marsh and Josh Inglis added a massive 135-run opening partnership that effectively sealed the contest inside the powerplay itself, with LSG reaching 86/0 after six overs and 124/0 after 10.