IPL 2026: ‘Shivam Dube has been a big letdown’ - Subramaniam Badrinath on Chennai Super Kings’s middle-order woes

Former India cricketer Subramaniam Badrinath believes Chennai Super Kings batting all-rounder Shivam Dube appears to have been figured out by bowlers in the ongoing IPL 2026 season. The left-hander has struggled to deliver impactful performances after eight matches.

Dube has managed 150 runs at an average of 30 and a strike rate of 140.18, without registering a single half-century in eight innings. He has hit just six sixes in 100 balls and looked particularly uncomfortable against Gujarat Titans, finding it difficult to clear the boundary.

"CSK's middle-order middle has been highly concerning. Shivam Dube has been a big letdown. Bowlers are bowling too easily to him. He is getting enough opportunities up the order. CSK is trusting Dube, but he's not able to deliver. Oppositions are working him out with ease, and he has no clue how to combat them,” said Badrinath on his YouTube channel.

Badrinath has backed uncapped wicketkeeper Kartik Sharma despite his underwhelming performances in the ongoing IPL 2026. The youngster, who was picked up by the five-time champions Chennai Super Kings for a hefty INR 14.20 crore, has struggled to justify his price tag so far. Sharma has managed just 11.60 on average with a strike rate of 118.36 across five innings, failing to make a significant impact with the bat.

"We can't question him. The management that signed him for 14.50 crores needs to be questioned, though. In fact, he is a good player if you picked him for 50 Lakhs or one crore. He would have probably performed better also with the lower price," said Badrinath.

Badrinath echoed similar concerns over another INR 14.20 crore signing, Prashant Veer, pointing the finger at team management for the way he has been handled in the IPL 2026. The youngster has featured in just two of the first eight games for CSK and is yet to bowl a single delivery of his left-arm spin. His only notable contribution with the bat came in the second match, where he scored 43 runs against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, but overall, his limited opportunities have raised questions about the team’s strategy.

"By signing these two for 29 crores, you were not able to pick other bona fide players, especially bowlers or hitters. The management got stuck by paying these two such a high price," said Badrinath.