IPL 2026: 'I was looking at a score around 220-230' - Ruturaj Gaikwad rues CSK’s batting lapse in SRH loss

NEW DELHI: Chennai Super Kings captain Ruturaj Gaikwad admitted his team let the game slip in the middle overs as they lost by 10 runs to Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2026. CSK were well placed in the chase but couldn’t maintain momentum when it mattered most.

Gaikwad explained that based on SRH’s strong start, he expected a total around 220-230, so restricting them under 200 felt like a win. However, the chase derailed after the 10-over mark when CSK scored just four runs in two overs, allowing the pressure to build.

"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," he said.

Batting first, SRH put up 194/9 thanks to quick half-centuries from Abhishek Sharma and Heinrich Klaasen. CSK bowlers, including Anshul Kamboj, did well to keep the score in check.

In reply, CSK got good starts from Ayush Mhatre, Matthew Short and Sarfaraz Khan, but kept losing wickets. SRH bowlers like Eshan Malinga and Nitish Kumar Reddy controlled the game in the later stages.

Despite the loss, Gaikwad praised his bowlers and highlighted Kamboj’s confidence: "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 (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."