Former Indian batter Subramaniam Badrinath questioned Chennai Super Kings’ management after their eight-wicket loss against Gujarat Titans in the ongoing IPL 2026 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai on Sunday. CSK could only manage an under-par score of 158-7 and GT were able to chase down the score with 20 balls to spare.

Badrinath said it was a brain fade moment when CSK used Sarfaraz Khan as an Impact Player in the early stages of their batting innings. The home team were left tottering at 25-2 after they lost early wickets of in-form Sanju Samson and Urvil Patel. 

However, the move to send Sarfaraz Khan as an impact player didn’t pay dividends as the right-hander was dismissed for a golden duck by Mohammed Siraj.

Badrinath said on his YouTube Channel, “Urvil Patel and Sarfaraz Khan are like-to-like batters, and you send them back-to-back. When Rabada is bowling at high speeds, you send the two batters you shouldn’t, back to back. It was an absolute brain-fade moment. They’ve made several other blunders like this throughout the season, namely not playing Akeal Hosein from the start or not bowling Prashant Veer when he played.”

“This entire season has been full of tactical blunders for CSK, to the point where there can be a video separately just for that. How can you bring an Impact Player as a batter in the first four overs? It was stupidity when you still had Brevis, Dube, Kartik Sharma, and Overton. Why don’t you give these guys a chance? Instead, you bring in Sarfaraz Khan and rule Mukesh Choudhary out so early.”

The former CSK batter reckons the five-time champions are not making the most of the Impact Player rule in the ongoing season.

“Other teams are using the Impact player rule brilliantly and scoring 50 to 60 extra runs. Here, CSK are underutilising it badly. CSK were at 50 in 12 overs when other teams are at 170 to 180 at the same stage,” said Badrinath (via the aforementioned source).

Chennai Super Kings will next take on Mumbai Indians at the Chepauk Stadium on Saturday.