Ambati Rayudu felt Chennai Super Kings’ seven-wicket loss to Lucknow Super Giants on Friday exposed a lack of calm, experienced influence on the field—particularly during the brutal spell faced by young pacer Anshul Kamboj. In an evening at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow, LSG chased down 188 in 16.4 overs, and the turning point for CSK came when Kamboj was targeted repeatedly by Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran.
Rayudu points to leadership gap as Kamboj is crushed
Rayudu, speaking after the match on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut show, said CSK didn’t have enough senior heads available to steady the situation when the pressure rose. He highlighted the moment Kamboj’s confidence appeared to unravel after being struck for heavy blows.
Rayudu specifically pointed to the attack on Kamboj by Marsh, who struck four consecutive sixes in a single over. Pooran then mirrored the damage later in the chase, again hammering Kamboj for a sequence of sixes. Rayudu argued that a more composed presence could have helped Kamboj reset his mindset during a spell when even small errors were punished.
“I feel the CSK side, when you look at them at the ground, there aren’t too many smart heads or experienced heads there—players who can 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 added that someone needed to interrupt Kamboj’s negative thought process as the assault unfolded. Rayudu also suggested that wicketkeeper Sanju Samson was too far from the immediate action to influence the bowler at the most critical stage.
“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,” Rayudu added.
Despite what he described as a nightmare outing for the youngster, Rayudu defended Kamboj and insisted the bowler hadn’t suddenly become ineffective—rather, he had run into batters in extraordinary form. Rayudu compared the situation to having an off day in a sport where even high-quality bowling can be punished.
“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.
Marsh’s powerplay burst and Pooran’s late finish sink CSK
LSG’s chase was built around Marsh’s whirlwind knock of 90 off only 38 balls, featuring seven maximums and nine fours. The Australian attacked from the outset and moved to his half-century in 21 deliveries, setting the tone for a chase that became increasingly difficult for CSK to arrest.
- Marsh struck early momentum and reached 50 in 21 balls, launching LSG into a high-tempo chase.
- In the fifth over, he punished Kamboj with four consecutive sixes and a boundary, taking 28 runs and helping LSG race to 67/0 after five overs.
- Marsh and Josh Inglis then added a 135-run opening stand, effectively shifting the contest in LSG’s favour well before the powerplay ended.
- LSG moved to 86/0 after six overs and 124/0 after 10, with CSK struggling to find a breakthrough.
- CSK did manage a brief response by removing Inglis and Marsh in consecutive deliveries, but the chase did not lose momentum.
- With 24 required from the last four overs, Pooran took control again, smashing four straight sixes off Kamboj to seal the target in style.
Kamboj’s figures summed up the damage: he finished with 0/63 in 2.4 overs. Pooran’s late assault ensured there was no collapse after CSK’s momentary breakthrough.
CSK set 187/5, but LSG’s batting proved too strong
Earlier in the match, CSK posted 187/5. Their innings was propped up by Kartik Sharma’s 71 and Shivam Dube’s unbeaten 32, but Rayudu’s concerns about game control and experience proved relevant when LSG accelerated in the chase.
The result leaves Chennai Super Kings placed sixth in the IPL 2026 points table, with 12 points from 12 matches. Their record now stands at six wins and six losses.
