With Ruturaj Gaikwad steadily finding his rhythm again, former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes Chennai Super Kings are becoming a more formidable side with every outing. Ashwin\u2019s assessment comes after CSK delivered another confident performance\u2014one that not only strengthened their own position in the league race but also dented Mumbai Indians\u2019 chances of reaching the playoffs.<\/p>\n
Gaikwad, celebrated for his steadiness in domestic cricket and franchise leagues, endured a rough patch at the start of IPL 2026. In his first seven matches, the CSK captain managed 104 runs in total, with a highest score of 28.<\/p>\n
However, the shift in momentum became clear in the previous Sunday\u2019s match against Gujarat Titans. Gaikwad responded strongly by striking an unbeaten 74 off 60 balls, signalling that his timing and shot selection were returning.<\/p>\n
Carrying that momentum forward, Gaikwad continued his recovery in Saturday\u2019s game against Mumbai Indians. He produced a composed knock of 67 off 48 deliveries, setting the tone for CSK\u2019s successful chase.<\/p>\n
CSK ultimately secured an eight-wicket win at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, completing a league double over their arch-rivals Mumbai Indians. The result also ensured CSK remained in contention, while at the same time dealing a major blow to MI\u2019s playoff ambitions.<\/p>\n
Speaking on JioHotstar\u2019s \u2018Google Search AI Mode Match Centre Live\u2019, Ashwin linked Gaikwad\u2019s improvement to the conditions and the confidence gained from the previous match.<\/p>\n
After a strong start, Mumbai Indians slipped from a promising position to finish on 159\/7. Naman Dhir was the standout with 57, but the middle order again failed to convert the platform into a bigger total.<\/p>\n
CSK\u2019s bowling kept things tight and controlled the flow of runs through the innings. Anshul Kamboj led the way with figures of 3\/32, while Noor Ahmad and Jamie Overton maintained pressure during the middle overs.<\/p>\n
In response, CSK chased the target comfortably. The chase was powered by an unbeaten 67 from captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, while Kartik Sharma provided stability with an unbeaten 54*.<\/p>\n
With this win at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, CSK completed a league double over Mumbai Indians, while also delivering a significant setback to MI\u2019s playoff hopes and keeping Chennai firmly in the hunt in IPL 2026.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
With Ruturaj Gaikwad steadily finding his rhythm again, former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes Chennai Super Kings are becoming a more formidable side with every…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":7125,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"IPL News: Ashwin Warns CSK as Gaikwad Regains Form","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Ashwin reacts as Ruturaj Gaikwad rediscovers form, making CSK look sharper and threatening rivals\u2019 playoff hopes in the latest IPL clash.","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7127","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ipl"],"yoast_head":"\n