With the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 set to kick off on March 28, discussions around team combinations have begun to intensify. Chennai Super Kings (CSK), coming off a disappointing campaign last season, are under the spotlight as experts and former players weigh in on how the franchise can turn things around. Former India batter Abhinav Mukund has now shared his views on CSK’s ideal top order, suggesting a fresh and aggressive approach to fix their long-standing powerplay struggles.
CSK looking for redemption after back-to-back setbacks
The Super Kings endured a forgettable IPL 2025 season, finishing at the bottom of the points table with just four wins in 14 matches. The struggles were not limited to one department, but their top-order inconsistency stood out as a major concern. Even in IPL 2024, the franchise failed to qualify for the playoffs, raising questions about their evolving strategy in a fast-changing T20 landscape.
Recognizing these issues, CSK made bold moves ahead of the IPL 2026 auction. Their focus shifted towards injecting youth and dynamism into the squad. One of the biggest talking points was the acquisition of Sanju Samson, a move that generated significant buzz among fans and experts alike.
Solid opening pair for IPL 2026
Mukund believes CSK must rethink their approach at the top and prioritize aggressive intent in the powerplay. He has backed Samson and young talent Ayush Mhatre to open the innings for the franchise in IPL 2026.
According to Mukund, the powerplay has become the defining phase in modern T20 cricket, and teams can no longer afford slow starts. He pointed out that CSK’s opening partnerships and powerplay scores have been among the weakest in recent seasons, often putting them on the back foot early in games.
Mukund emphasized that a minimum of 60 runs in the first six overs is now essential, and players like Samson and Mhatre have the skillset to achieve that consistently. While Mhatre showed promise during his time with Mumbai, Mukund acknowledged that he faced some challenges on South African pitches but still remains a highly explosive option.
“This is Ruturaj Gaikwad’s team. He wants these sort [aggressive] of players. Last couple of seasons, they’ve had the worst opening partnerships, worst powerplay scores. They were behind the eight ball in terms of how they started. I think the games changed to a powerplay game, where 60 is a bare minimum. I think they’ve gone there and biggest thing to address is the opening pair and they’ve got Sanju before the auction. So, Sanju and Mhatre open for me,” said Mukund on ESPNcricinfo.
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Ruturaj Gaikwad at No. 3
Mukund also suggested that skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad should slot in at No. 3, a position that allows him to anchor the innings while still maintaining tempo. He believes this combination aligns with Gaikwad’s leadership vision of building a more aggressive and fearless batting unit. However, this approach could lead to difficult selection decisions. Mukund noted that if Samson and Mhatre open, it might leave players like Urvil Patel on the sidelines, highlighting the depth and competition within the squad.
“I still think Mhatre will be as explosive as ever. He opened for Mumbai. He struggled a little bit on the South African pitches. But, if you’ve got Mhatre in the side and Rutu wants to bat three, unfortunately, Urvil Patel misses out,” Mukund added.
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