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- CSK vs GT highlights, IPL 2026: Sai Sudharsan, Kagiso Rabada shine as Gujarat Titans beat Chennai Super Kings by 8 wickets
CSK vs GT highlights, IPL 2026: Sai Sudharsan, Kagiso Rabada shine as Gujarat Titans beat Chennai Super Kings by 8 wickets
If the first half belonged to the bowlers, the chase was all about calculated aggression as Sudharsan produced a shining tutorial in adapting to conditions, smashing 87 off 46 balls to anchor Titans’ comfortable pursuit of 159.
The win moved Titans to fifth position from seventh with eight points.
On a pitch that had earlier demanded caution, Sudharsan showed how to blend restraint with intent, picking the right deliveries to attack while respecting the bounce on offer.
He found an able partner in skipper Shubman Gill, who made a brisk 33 off 23 balls before falling to spinner Noor Ahmad.
The Titans openers laid a solid foundation with a 58-run stand, effectively taking the game away from CSK in the Powerplay itself. Gill looked fluent, mixing elegance with aggression, but his dismissal did little to slow the visitors.
Sudharsan, who had struck a century in the previous game against RCB, carried his sublime form forward, unleashing a range of strokes, particularly against pace to keep the scoreboard ticking at a healthy rate.
The left-hander's seven sixes underlined his dominance on a surface where CSK’s batters had struggled earlier in the day.
Jos Buttler played the perfect supporting role, remaining unbeaten on 39 off 30 balls as Titans reached 154 for 1, finishing the chase with 20 balls to spare.
Ahmad and Akeal Hosein took a wicket apiece while the rest struggled to contain the flow of runs as the Titans batters showed far better awareness of the conditions.
Earlier, on a pitch that offered sharp carry, stroke-making demanded discretion and adaptability.
Instead, CSK's batters often opted for high-risk shots without fully assessing conditions, and paid the price with a flurry of miscued dismissals, managing 158/7.
Invited to bat, CSK never quite found rhythm but skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad’s maiden half-century (74 not out) of the current IPL season lent a semblance of respectability to the total in a season where 200-plus scores have become commonplace.
Gaikwad's knock came off 60 balls with six fours and four sixes after a laboured start.
The tone was set early by GT pacer Mohammed Siraj, who extracted steep bounce and forced errors.
Sanju Samson (11) began watchfully, negotiating the first over before opening up against Kagiso Rabada (3/25) to bring up his 5000 IPL runs milestone.
However, Rabada’s bounce soon accounted for him as a hard slash outside off resulted in a faint edge that Jos Buttler pouched safely.
The dismissal triggered a collapse. Urvil Patel (4) fell in the same Rabada over attempting an ambitious pull, while Sarfaraz Khan (0) succumbed to Siraj’s extra lift, mistiming a short ball to offer a simple catch.
At 28 for 3 inside the Powerplay, CSK were already in trouble.
Gaikwad and Dewald Brevis (2) needed to rebuild, but the latter’s impatience against spinner Manav Suthar led to his downfall, holing out after failing to get to the pitch of the ball.
The mounting wickets forced Gaikwad into a shell, an approach that, while understandable, further stalled the momentum.
Dot balls piled up, with CSK reaching 50 only in the 12th over.
The skipper eventually broke free, taking on Arshad Khan and Jason Holder with a couple of towering sixes, but the acceleration came too late.
Shivam Dube, dropped thrice on 6, 11 and 22, struggled for fluency before Arshad cleaned him up.
Kartik Sharma (15) and Jamie Overton (18) provided late impetus with a few lusty hits, but the damage had already been done.
On a pitch that rewarded discipline and smart shot selection, Titans' bowlers executed their plans to perfection, while CSK’s batters failed to read the conditions in time, a lapse that ultimately defined the innings.
Akeal Hosein to Sai Sudharsan, Quicker, shortish and around off, keeps low, Sai Sudharsan tucks it through mid-wicket for a brace.
Akeal Hosein to Sai Sudharsan, SIX! Incredible effort in the deep though! Tossed up, full and on middle, Sai Sudharsan skips down the track to loft it straight down the ground but gets more height than distance on this one. It flies towards long on, where Dewald Brevis plucks it out of thin air with his right hand while falling over the ropes. He realises that Ruturaj Gaikwad is trying to back him up and tries to throw the ball with a backhand flick, but while doing so, his trailing leg touches the ground. The replay confirms it is a six, but we have to appreciate the effort.
Akeal Hosein to Jos Buttler, Arm ball, short and on middle, angling in, Jos Buttler flicks it through square leg for a run.
Akeal Hosein to Jos Buttler, Flatter, full and on middle and leg, Jos Buttler changes his stance for the reverse sweep but plays all around it. The ball pops up off his gloves onto his helmet and falls safely into pitch.
Akeal Hosein (1-0-11-0) is back on.
Akeal Hosein to Sai Sudharsan, Dragged back, on middle, Sai Sudharsan moves back and pulls it to deep mid-wicket for a single.
- Jos Buttler 9 (9)
- Sai Sudharsan 39 (28)
Shivam Dube to Jos Buttler, FOUR! Pure timing! Good length and on off, Jos Buttler makes a bit of room again, gets his hands through the shot and crashes it through covers for a boundary.
Shivam Dube to Jos Buttler, Just short! Short of a length and on middle, takes pace off. Jos Buttler backs a long way away and tries to muscle it down the ground but gets a thin outside edge behind. Sanju Samson dives forward but the lack of pace on the ball means, it drops in front of him.
Shivam Dube to Sai Sudharsan, Good fielding! Hard length and on off, Sai Sudharsan lets the ball come to him and using the pace glides it wide of short third. Anshul Kamboj dives to his left and saves a certain boundary. They cross.
Shivam Dube to Jos Buttler, Back of a length and around off, Jos Buttler takes a couple of steps across and heaves it to deep mid-wicket for a run.
Shivam Dube to Jos Buttler, Touch fuller and on off, Jos Buttler pushes it towards short cover.
Shivam Dube to Sai Sudharsan, On a length and around off, Sai Sudharsan opens the bat face and steers it towards backward point for a quick single.
STRATEGIC BREAK! Gujarat Titans are acing the chase at the moment and need a further 84 runs from 66 balls. However, they haven't quite managed to get out of sight and with their fragile middle order, Chennai Super Kings will still feel they are in the game. However, CSK do need a couple of wickets before it's too late and GT will hope that Sai Sudharsan converts this start into a big score and gets the side over the line. Let's see how the next phase of play pans out. Shivam Dube now comes on to bowl.
- Sai Sudharsan 37 (26)
- Jos Buttler 4 (5)
Noor Ahmad to Sai Sudharsan, Another short delivery, on leg, Sai Sudharsan works it through square leg for one more.
Sai Sudharsan seems to be struggling with his fitness here. However, for now, he doesn't call for the physio and carries on.
Noor Ahmad to Sai Sudharsan, Pushed through quicker, shortish and on off, Sai Sudharsan flicks it off the back foot towards deep mid-wicket and comes back for the second run, making it comfortably. There is a check for a short run and the replay shows that Sai did not drag his bat over the crease while taking the first run.
Noor Ahmad to Sai Sudharsan, Shorter in length again, on middle, turns in. Sai Sudharsan tucks it with soft hands towards the vacant mid-wicket region for a brace.
Noor Ahmad to Jos Buttler, Dragged back, on the pads, Jos Buttler clips it through square leg for a run.
Noor Ahmad to Sai Sudharsan, Tossed up, full and outside off, Sai Sudharsan drives it through covers for a single.
Noor Ahmad to Sai Sudharsan, Floated, short and around leg, Sai Sudharsan nudges it to short fine.
- Sai Sudharsan 32 (21)
- Jos Buttler 3 (4)
Gurjapneet Singh to Sai Sudharsan, Pitches it up, angling in, on leg, Sai Sudharsan tucks it behind square leg for one.
Gurjapneet Singh to Sai Sudharsan, FOUR! What a shot that was! Gurjapneet Singh delivers it full once again, on the fourth stump. Sai Sudharsan plants his front foot toward the pitch of the delivery, leans on it, and drives it neatly to beat the left of the diving mid off fielder for four runs.
Gurjapneet Singh to Jos Buttler, On a length, just outside off, Jos Buttler knocks it from the toe end of his willow to long on for a single.
Gurjapneet Singh to Sai Sudharsan, Good-length delivery, around the fourth stump, Sai Sudharsan looks to drive on the up, but gets a thick inside edge. The ball rolls to deep fine leg and the batter gets across for one.
Gurjapneet Singh to Jos Buttler, Overpitched, on off, Jos Buttler leans on the delivery and eases it to mid off for a quick single.
Gurjapneet Singh to Sai Sudharsan, Full-length delivery, on off, shaping in. Sai Sudharsan prods and drives it to mid on for a single.
Spin from both ends? Nope, Gurjapneet Singh replaces Anshul Kamboj.
- Jos Buttler 1 (2)
- Sai Sudharsan 25 (17)
Noor Ahmad to Jos Buttler, Beaten! Another googly from Noor Ahmad, angling it away from the batter. Jos Buttler, with no footwork, looks to push it to cover, but gets beaten on the outside edge. There is half a shout for a caught behind but the keeper says no. Noor Ahmad wanted to have a look, but won't get his way.
Noor Ahmad to Sai Sudharsan, Ahmad drags his length back, outside off, turning a bit away. Sai Sudharsan pulls it to deep mid-wicket for a single.
Noor Ahmad to Sai Sudharsan, Googly now, on off and middle, Sai Sudharsan stays inside his crease and pats it to square leg.
Noor Ahmad to Jos Buttler, Fullish, on middle and leg, Jos Buttler clips it to deep square leg for a single. Buttler is off the mark!
A wicket against the run of play. Jos Buttler walks out to bat at number 3.
Noor Ahmad to Shubman Gill, OUT! STUMPED! Ruturaj Gaikwad knew it straight away, and a bit of lightning work behind the stumps has handed CSK their first wicket. Noor Ahmad bowls this a bit fuller and tosses it up around leg stump. Shubman Gill gets drawn forward as he looks to flick but the ball turns further down the leg side and Gill is beaten. Sanju Samson collects it to his left and dislodges the bails quickly. The third umpire has a look and finds that Gill's back leg is in the air when the bails get lighted. It will be a wide as well, but CSK won't mind it. 101 more needed off 82 balls.
Noor Ahmad to Sai Sudharsan, Flat and much fuller, on the fifth stump, Sai Sudharsan gets on his front foot and punches it to long on for a comfortable single.
Noor Ahmad comes into the attack right after the Powerplay.
Noor Ahmad to Shubman Gill, Short, just outside off, Shubman Gill rocks back and punches it through cover for a single.
- Shubman Gill 32 (22)
- Sai Sudharsan 23 (14)
Anshul Kamboj to Shubman Gill, A single to end the Powerplay, and the Titans are 55/0. Hard length around off, tapped away in front of covers for a quick single.
Anshul Kamboj to Shubman Gill, Pitched up fuller on off, Gill looks to drive it straight back but gets an inside edge onto the pads, and the ball rolls back to the bowler.
Anshul Kamboj to Sai Sudharsan, Fuller now, on off and middle, driven off the front foot and towards mid off for one.
Anshul Kamboj to Sai Sudharsan, FOUR! Oh, nearly chopped on, but the ball rolls to the fence and the 50 is up for GT. Good length from over the wicket, in and around off stump and this one skids through. Sudharsan ends up jabbing at it and gets an inside edge that goes past the stumps and runs away into the fine leg fence.
Uh..oh! Akeal Hosein looks in a lot of pain after hitting his face hard on the ground. The physio runs in to check on him as he lies on the ground. Good signs that he is sitting up and talking with the physio, and going through the concussion protocols. Hosein is up on his feet now and good to go again.
Anshul Kamboj to Shubman Gill, Oh, deary me! Akeal Hosein seems to have taken a blow to his face here, and there's immediate concern for him. Back of a length, angled across off, Gill charges down the pitch, makes room and slaps the ball flat and wide of deep point. Hosein runs to his right, dives to get to the dipping ball but spills it and then his face gets planted into the turf as the batters pick up a single. Hopefully, Akeal is fine here.
Anshul Kamboj to Shubman Gill, SIX! What a free-flowing shot from Gill. Length ball on the stumps, Shubman Gill lunges a long way forward and smokes it high and handsome over cow corner for a biggie.
- Sai Sudharsan 18 (12)
- Shubman Gill 24 (18)
Gurjapneet Singh to Sai Sudharsan, FOUR! That should have been stopped. Fullish length, in the channel, Sudharsan gets his front leg out and just opens the bat to play it to the right of short third. The fielder over there dives and deflects the ball behind for four more runs.
Gurjapneet Singh to Sai Sudharsan, FOUR! Well played by Sudharsan. Attempted yorker on middle, just a bit too full. Sai Sudharsan initially seems to have been undone and ends up punching it straight back with one hand and for a boundary as well.
Gurjapneet Singh to Shubman Gill, Hard length on leg, clipped away to deep square leg for just one more.
Gurjapneet Singh to Shubman Gill, Just back of a length, on miiddle and leg, Gill presses back to defend.
Gurjapneet Singh to Sai Sudharsan, Oh, that could have gone anywhere. Sudharsan premeditates a bit and shuffles past the off stump. This is bowled on a good length and outside off, and Sai looks to lap it away. However, he gets it off the gloves and the ball lobs to the right of the keeper. Sanju Samson goes after the ball which falls well short and then overruns it, allowing a single.
Gurjapneet Singh to Shubman Gill, Lands it on a fullish length, on middle and leg, Gill tucks it behind square leg and picks up a single.
Gurjapneet Singh comes into the attack now.
