Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming has finally addressed his future with the franchise after another disappointing Indian Premier League season.
The five-time champions are once again in danger of missing the playoffs, and the pressure around the coaching staff has intensified following inconsistent performances in the last few years.
Chennai Super Kings’ performance in IPL 2026
IPL 2026 has been a frustrating campaign for the Chennai Super Kings. After 13 matches, they are placed sixth on the points table with six wins and seven defeats, while their net run rate stands at -0.016.
CSK had a poor start to the season as they lost against Rajasthan Royals, Punjab Kings, and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in three of their opening four matches. They did recover strongly in the middle phase of the tournament with victories over Delhi Capitals, Kolkata Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians.
However, consistency remained a massive issue throughout the season. Chennai Super Kings suffered defeats against the Gujarat Titans, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Lucknow Super Giants, which badly dented their qualification hopes. Their recent loss against SRH at Chepauk has now left them heavily dependent on other teams for a playoff berth.
Stephen Fleming breaks silence on his future with CSK
Following the defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Stephen Fleming admitted that Chennai Super Kings have not delivered the kind of performances expected from them.
Stephen Fleming added that the decision regarding his future lies entirely with the management, as everyone is judged based on the results.
“I'd say it's a choice for the management. I know there's been a lot of talk about it, but MS has been around a lot this year, which has been really important for the team, for a lot of young players and continuity," Stephen Fleming said.
“So he's been a big part, he hasn't played, but he's still had a big influence on the team. There's a lot of good things we've done. We've introduced some new players that will be hopefully generation players for CSK. But I know we're judged on results, that's fair. So, yeah, it's the management's call, not mine,” Stephen Fleming added.
Chennai Super Kings’ qualification scenario for IPL 2026 playoffs
Despite sitting sixth on the table, Chennai Super Kings are still mathematically alive in the playoff race. They currently have 12 points from 13 matches and can finish with a maximum of 14 points if they defeat Gujarat Titans in their final league-stage fixture.
However, just winning their final game will not be enough for Chennai Super Kings. They also need multiple results to go in their favour. Rajasthan Royals must lose both their remaining matches, Punjab Kings need to lose against Lucknow Super Giants, and Kolkata Knight Riders must beat Delhi Capitals but lose their final match against Mumbai Indians.
If all those results fall in place and CSK beat Gujarat Titans, then the fourth playoff spot could be decided on net run rate between Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals. At the moment, CSK hold a better net run rate advantage over DC.
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