Chennai Super Kings head coach Stephen Fleming felt that the team has been unlucky with injuries so far after Jamie Overton became the fourth player to be ruled out of the tournament this season.

Overton joined Khaleel Ahmed, Ayush Mhatre, and Ramakrishna Ghosh, all of whom picked up injuries during a match this year.

“It is unlucky. A couple of the boys came into the competition with niggles. Ghosh was one of those that we were nursing through, and then he had a fall, so that was unfortunate,” said Fleming.

The former New Zealand skipper said the team is aware of the pattern of injuries and is looking into it.

“We’re not doing anything to put strain on these guys. They’ve all been playing a lot of cricket; it’s just one of those things. But we’re certainly not turning a blind eye to it. We are working very hard on recovery, and we have a very professional staff who have been with us for a number of years, so that area is well looked after,” he added.

Despite the injuries and a slow start, CSK has come back strongly, winning six out of its last eight matches, and Fleming said he was pleased with how the youngsters have stepped up.

“We are really pleased with the way the players have improved. To be in this position now is something many thought we wouldn’t be, but the group’s been really strong. Given the core of young players, going forward, I think it’s quite exciting,” said Fleming.

Chennai Super Kings will be acutely aware of the need to avoid complacency when it takes on Lucknow Super Giants for the second time in five days, this time at the Ekana Stadium here on Friday.

On Sunday in Chennai, CSK prevailed by five wickets, thereby putting LSG out of playoff contention in IPL 2026.

It was Super Kings’ third victory on the bounce, and the Yellow Army has built momentum at the right time in the fight for a top-four spot.

Still, the Chennai outfit, which has 12 points, needs to win at least two, if not all three, of its remaining games to give itself the best shot of progressing to the knockouts.

On the eve of the match, the team received another injury blow after all-rounder Jamie Overton, one of its standout performers this season, was ruled out of the competition due to a thigh injury. Even in the previous encounter, it was the Englishman who stopped LSG from posting a daunting total with his twin strike in the 10th over, including that of the well-set Josh Inglis.

The setback comes at a time when there are still areas of concern for the five-time champion on the batting front. In the chase of 204, Urvil Patel’s stunning 23-ball 65 had brought the asking rate down to under seven at one point. But once he was dismissed, the middle-order made heavy weather of a straightforward chase, stretching it to the final over.

Shivam Dube and Dewald Brevis have looked out of sorts so far, and the duo needs to step up before it proves costly.

For the hosts, the focus shifts to testing their bench strength and building towards the future. Unburdened by expectations, can Rishabh Pant’s men give their fans something to cheer for?