NEW DELHI: Chennai Super Kings skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad said his side lost control during the middle stages after going into the chase in a strong position, as they fell short by 10 runs against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2026. Gaikwad felt CSK had a platform to work from, but momentum deserted them at the crucial moment, particularly once the match moved past the 10-over mark.
Speaking after the defeat, Gaikwad explained that he expected Hyderabad to post a challenging figure after their opening burst. With SRH’s early tempo, he believed something in the 220–230 range was likely, and in that context, keeping the opposition below 200 would have been a positive outcome. The problem, however, was how the chase played out after the midway point—CSK managed only four runs across the next two overs, which allowed the pressure to grow and made the finishing overs far tougher.
Gaikwad summed it up this way: “When I looked at how their power play went, I was expecting a total around 220–230. To end up chasing 30 fewer than that, I would happily have taken it under 200. It was about 80 needed from the final 10 overs (with the bat). From there, it was mainly about stitching together a couple of partnerships. But after the 10-over mark, we scored just 4 runs in the next two overs. Chasing something like 12 or 13 runs per over near the end is always going to be difficult.”
On the batting front, Sunrisers Hyderabad set the tone by posting 194/9. The innings was anchored by quick half-centuries from Abhishek Sharma and Heinrich Klaasen, giving them enough momentum to move into a competitive total. CSK’s bowling, with Anshul Kamboj among the key contributors, did well to keep the scoreboard from running away, especially considering the early impact Hyderabad had created.
In response, Chennai received solid starts from Ayush Mhatre, Matthew Short and Sarfaraz Khan, but the innings kept slipping as wickets kept falling at regular intervals. While CSK tried to build momentum, Hyderabad’s bowlers tightened the screws in the later phase, with Eshan Malinga and Nitish Kumar Reddy playing a major role in controlling the flow of runs and keeping the chase under check.
Even with the loss, Gaikwad praised his bowling group and pointed to Kamboj’s growing confidence. He noted that the team’s recent form with the ball has been consistent, adding: “It’s been three straight games where the bowling unit has been doing really well. Even in today’s power play, I thought Abhishek played brilliantly. I believe everyone contributed properly (with the ball).”
Gaikwad also highlighted Kamboj’s work ethic, saying the fast bowler has been focusing intensely—particularly on death overs. “He’s been putting in a lot of effort on his bowling, especially at the death. You rarely come across bowlers who have that kind of clarity, who can tell the captain, ‘I know what to do—this is exactly what I’m going to execute.’”
