New Delhi, May 22 (IANS) Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar believes Chennai Super Kings (CSK) must focus on improving their overseas bowling and batting depth after the five-time champions crashed out of IPL 2026 following an 89-run defeat to the Gujarat Titans.

The defeat confirmed CSK’s elimination from the playoff race for the third consecutive season before the knockouts, as they ended their IPL 2026 campaign with just six wins from 14 matches.

CSK were comprehensively outplayed by GT, who posted a massive 229/4 riding on half-centuries from B Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill, and Jos Buttler before bundling Chennai out for 140 in just 13.4 overs.

Bangar said the franchise now needs to strengthen its overseas contingent and fast-bowling depth ahead of the next edition.

“CSK already have a strong Indian core with players like Ruturaj, Urvil Patel, Ayush, and Anshul Kambhoj showing promise. The bigger area they need to address is their overseas combination. They need more consistency from their overseas batters and greater depth in the pace department,” Bagar told Jio Hotstar.

CSK struggled throughout the season to find a settled overseas combination, with their batting often lacking firepower in pressure situations, while their bowling attack also failed to deliver consistently in key phases.

Against GT, the problems resurfaced once again as the bowlers leaked 229 runs before the batting collapsed to 31/3 inside the first three overs of the chase.

Bangar stressed that Chennai’s immediate priority should be identifying experienced overseas players capable of making an immediate impact in crucial matches.

“Finding experienced overseas players who can make an immediate impact will be important for them moving forward,” he added.

Despite the disappointing campaign, CSK witnessed encouraging performances from Indian players, with Sanju Samson leading the batting unit. Meanwhile, youngsters like Urvil Patel and Anshul Kambhoj showed some promise during the season.

–IANS

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