IPL 2026: Lost momentum in middle overs cost us, says CSK's Gaikwad

CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad blamed a middle-over slowdown for their 10-run loss to SRH. He said scoring just 4 runs in 2 overs after the 10-over mark proved decisive as the required rate climbed sharply, leaving them too much to do in the end.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain Ruturaj Gaikwad admitted that his side lost momentum in the middle overs as they went down by 10 runs against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), despite being in a strong position during the chase in the high-profile Southern Derby clash at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 on Saturday night.

Gaikwad on the turning point

Reflecting on the match, Gaikwad said CSK had initially assessed the game well based on the opposition's powerplay performance and expected a higher total on offer. The CSK skipper pointed to a crucial slowdown after the 10-over mark, where the team managed only four runs in two overs, allowing SRH to tighten their grip on the match. He said that phase proved decisive, as the required rate climbed sharply in the death overs, leaving CSK with too much to do in the final stretch. "Looking at how their power play went, I was looking at a score around 220-230. To pull it back by 30 runs, I would have taken it any day under 200. It was just about 80 runs needed in 10 overs (with the bat). From there, it was just about building a couple of partnerships. We scored just 4 runs in the next 2 overs after the 10-over mark. Chasing 12-13 at the death is going to be difficult," CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad said during the post-match presentation.

CSK skipper lauds bowlers despite defeat

Despite the defeat, Gaikwad praised his bowling unit for maintaining consistency over recent matches, highlighting their disciplined efforts with the ball. "It's been three successive games that the bowling unit has been doing really well. Even the power play today, I thought Abhishek played brilliantly. I think everyone did a good job (with the ball)," he said.

He also singled out young bowler Anshul Kamboj for his clarity in execution, especially at the death. "He (Anshul Kamboj) is working really hard on his bowling, especially the death bowling. Very rarely you get bowlers who have clarity and tell the captain that I know what to do, this is what I am going to do," Gaikwad added.

SRH vs CSK: How the match unfolded

SRH edged past CSK by 10 runs in a high-scoring and closely fought encounter at Hyderabad. Batting first, SRH posted 194/9, driven by explosive half-centuries from Abhishek Sharma (59 off 22 balls) and Heinrich Klaasen (59 off 39 balls). Abhishek provided a blazing start with a record-fast fifty, while Klaasen anchored the innings after early wickets. CSK bowlers Jamie Overton (3/37), Anshul Kamboj (3/22), and Mukesh Choudhary (2/21) helped restrict SRH from crossing the 200-run mark despite a strong platform.

In reply, CSK had moments of control with quick contributions from Ayush Mhatre (30 off 13), Matthew Short (34 off 30), and Sarfaraz Khan (25 off 16). However, SRH's bowlers, led by Eshan Malinga (3/29) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (2/31), tightened the screws in the middle and death overs. Key breakthroughs at regular intervals halted CSK's momentum, leaving them short despite a late push.

Chasing 195, CSK fell 10 runs short, finishing just behind after failing to accelerate in the final overs, with SRH's disciplined bowling proving decisive.

Impact on Points Table

With the win, SRH climbed to fourth place with three wins in six matches, while CSK slipped to seventh with two wins from six games. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)