Cricket News May 22, 2026

Ruturaj Gaikwad Fined After CSK’s Elimination From IPL 2026

CSK’s IPL 2026 Campaign Ends in Disappointment

The Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 campaign has come to a close with a resounding 89-run defeat at the hands of the Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad on Thursday, May 21.

Gujarat Titans Outclass CSK

The match was a one-sided contest, with the Gujarat Titans dominating both with the bat and ball. After winning the toss, CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad chose to bowl first, but the GT top order took control of the innings from the start.

Openers Sai Sudharsan and captain Shubman Gill gave GT a flying start with a massive 125-run opening partnership. Sudharsan continued his brilliant form, smashing 84 runs off 53 balls, while Shubman Gill scored 64 runs from 37 balls at a strike rate of 172.97.

After the openers laid the foundation, Jos Buttler added the finishing touches in his own style, remaining unbeaten on 57 off only 27 balls. The Gujarat Titans eventually finished with a huge total of 229/4 in 20 overs.

CSK’s Poor Chase

Chasing the target, CSK got off to the worst possible start. Wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson was dismissed for a golden duck on the very first ball of the innings after Mohammed Siraj forced an edge behind the stumps.

Shivam Dube played the only fighting knock for CSK, scoring 47 runs off 17 balls. However, he received no support from the other batters.

Mohammed Siraj, Kagiso Rabada, and Rashid Khan starred with the ball for Gujarat Titans.

Ruturaj Gaikwad and CSK Team Penalized by BCCI

To make matters worse for CSK, captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and the players were punished by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) after the GT vs CSK match.

READ: Ravichandran Ashwin Backs MS Dhoni to Become Next CSK Head Coach

According to the official IPL statement, CSK was found guilty of maintaining a slow over-rate during the clash against Gujarat Titans.

As it was the team’s second over-rate offence of the season under Article 2.22 of the IPL Code of Conduct, Ruturaj Gaikwad was fined Rs 24 lakh.

The remaining members of the playing XI, including the impact player, were fined either Rs 6 lakh or 25 per cent of their respective match fees, whichever amount was lower.

The BCCI’s decision was announced in an official IPL release on Friday, stating that Ruturaj Gaikwad, Captain, Chennai Super Kings, has been fined after his team maintained a slow over-rate during Match 66 of TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 against Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad.

Julian Anand

Julian Anand is a senior cricket writer at ESPNcricinfo, known for his lyrical prose and deep-dive longform features on the sport’s unsung heroes. An alumnus of St. Stephen's College, he began his career covering Delhi’s club and university circuits before joining the global cricket desk. Julian has a rare ability to humanise the game—whether chronicling a young pacer from the Maidan or revisiting a forgotten Test classic. He is especially respected for his technical breakdowns of fast bowling and his archival research into cricket history. His work has been recognised with the SJA British Sports Journalism Award and multiple internal honours at Cricinfo. When not at the press box, Julian mentors young sports writers and plays occasional league cricket as a medium-pacer.