Sunrisers and Titans clinch playoffs as loss pushes CSK to brink of IPL elimination

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/royal-challengers-bengaluru/ObLbexsS/"]Bengaluru[/a] won their first ‌IPL title last year and were the first to book ‌their place in the playoffs this season. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sunrisers-hyderabad/ltywUfPr/"]Hyderabad[/a] ‌joined them after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/cricket/chennai-super-kings-hQRNSDp4/sunrisers-hyderabad-ltywUfPr/?mid=jTz2epto"]a five-wicket win over Chennai[/a], a result which also assured [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/gujarat-titans/WxbsgtO5/"]Gujarat[/a] of a place.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/punjab-kings/juzL6jnm/"]Punjab Kings[/a] are fourth ‌in the 10-team tournament with one ⁠game left to play, but their destiny is not in their own hands.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/rajasthan-royals/S2MQPiFG/"]Rajasthan Royals[/a] ​are only a point behind with two games left, while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chennai-super-kings/hQRNSDp4/"]Chennai[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/delhi-capitals/tv8Qjdkq/"]Delhi Capitals[/a] also ​trail Punjab by a point, but with one match to go.[/p][embed guid="f350177b-605f-4f2f-b5d4-f789a05b80a7" url="https://x.com/IPL/status/2056444822941249869" social-type="twitter" /][p]It has been a disappointing campaign for Chennai, ⁠who won five ​titles under Mahendra Singh Dhoni before he passed on the captaincy to Ruturaj Gaikwad in 2024.[/p][p]Gaikwad's own form has been patchy this season, and the opener has ‌largely failed to capitalise on the powerplay overs, scoring at a pedestrian strike rate of 120.67.[/p][p][b]"I think Ruturaj can do more,"[/b] Chennai head coach Stephen Fleming said after Monday's home loss to Hyderabad.[/p][p][b]"He's done more in the past. He's been a fine player at the top. He hasn't produced the quantity of runs and the pace of runs that he's done ‌in his career. And that's something that he will ​address."[/b][/p][embed guid="3f4dbca1-35bf-40a7-a9ff-1d9e49a89ae7" url="https://x.com/ChennaiIPL/status/2056437322082623810" social-type="twitter" /][p]Former New Zealand captain Fleming was aware that ‌failing to make the playoffs three years in a row could spell the end of his stint at Chennai.[/p][p][b]"I'd say it's a choice for the management," [/b]Fleming said.[/p][p][b]"I know we're judged on results, ⁠that's fair. So it's ⁠the management's call, ‌not mine."[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/ipl/"]Follow the IPL season with Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]