Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming is facing mounting pressure after the team’s disappointing start to the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season, having suffered three heavy defeats. The five-time champions have struggled to find consistency, and concerns have grown within the camp, especially after they failed to qualify for the playoffs in both 2024 and 2025, marking the first time in franchise history that they missed out in consecutive seasons.
Ahead of their crucial fourth match against Delhi Capitals (DC) at the iconic MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, Fleming addressed the criticism and acknowledged the challenges the team has faced. He admitted that both he and captain Ruturaj Gaikwad had difficulties during the IPL 2025 mega auction, conceding that some decisions did not go as planned.
“Results dictate that. That’s fair. Criticism is fair when you don’t do well. That’s part of the position. Look, I’m coaching throughout the year and two other competitions [the SA20 and MLC], and I’m doing auctions across a lot of players. So it’s not that I just turn off and then come to the IPL without an idea of where the game is going. In fact, it’s the other way,” said Fleming at press conference as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
CSK, after finishing at the bottom of the table in 2025, decided to shift their approach by investing in young talent during the auction. The franchise picked emerging players like Kartik Sharma and Prashant Veer, spending INR 14.2 crore on each during the mini-auction. The emphasis is not just limited to the IPL, as the management has been working closely with younger players even outside the tournament.
“I probably never spent more time studying T20 cricket around players around the world, just to service the other teams as well, which feeds into the IPL. So, yeah, we were off the pace last year, I’m the first to put my hand up and admit it. And we pivoted quite quickly now and we’re in a position where we’ve got some younger players. I feel very confident about this group of players,” said Fleming.
“And in line with other teams, we haven’t shown that this year as we settle. One of the challenges is the number of players we’ve changed in the squad means there is a little bit of a settling process, whereas other teams have been together for a season. We understand that, so we’re trying to accelerate that process. We just need a little bit of confidence and a bit of evidence, and that comes from getting across the line. And we haven’t been too far off. We got Tim David the last game. We weren’t as accurate with the ball towards the end, but we still managed 210. So, look, it’s a really good sign that we’re working very hard and we’re well aware, I’m well aware, and the criticism is appropriate. So, we just have to work harder and find a way forward. But I do feel in touch with the game, thank you,” he added.
IPL 2026: CSK vs DC, Match 18 – Top player battles
During the five-day break leading up to Saturday’s fixture, Fleming and his coaching staff divided their focus between training sessions at Chepauk and their High-Performance Academy located on the outskirts of the city. Fleming highlighted the potential of the young players in the squad, expressing confidence that they have the ability to succeed at the highest level. However, he also stressed the importance of giving these newcomers adequate time to adapt to the demands of top-level cricket.
“It’s probably a little bit more patience. What I do love is the skill level. It’s incredible to see these guys expand their abilities and the lack of fear of consequence. But unfortunately, there are consequences in cricket, in particular batting. So it’s trying to teach them a little bit of game awareness without flattening their desire to hit every ball for six,” said Fleming.
“So, look, the game we’ve talked about, the game has changed. But there are still coaching elements around the game that need to be respected. And that’s the battle as we go forward is what is the balance between being too reckless and then being sensible. And you’re seeing examples of both in this competition,” he concluded.
