Ruturaj Gaikwad’s Smart Captaincy Garners Praise In CSK’s Triumph Over KKR In IPL 2026: 'He Was Just Going For The Kill'

IPL 2026: Ruturaj Gaikwad-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) sealed a commanding 32-run triumph over Ajinkya Rahane’s Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the 22nd match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 on Tuesday, April 14.

CSK spinner Noor Ahmad was named Player of the Match for his magical three-wicket haul in a four-over spell, delivered at an economy rate of 5.20.

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Ruturaj Gaikwad's Captaincy Hailed After CSK's Win Over KKR

Speaking on Star Sports, former cricketer Piyush Chawla praised Gaikwad’s captaincy, calling it smart and tactically astute. He highlighted Gaikwad’s decision to use Khaleel Ahmed and Anshul Kamboj with the new ball as a clever move.

“Akeal Hosein did not come to bowl in the first six overs because KKR sent Sunil Narine to open, hoping to exploit Akeal. But Ruturaj was smart. As soon as he saw Narine coming out to open, he used Khaleel Ahmed and Anshul Kamboj with the new ball. That was a really good piece of captaincy because both bowlers got rid of KKR’s opening pair of Finn Allen and Narine. As soon as Narine was dismissed, Akeal Hosein was brought into the attack and he did his job brilliantly,” Chawla said.

He further added, “The way Ruturaj rotated his bowlers was really good to watch. He was just going for the kill, and that is what you want from your captain. As a captain, your thought process should be to go for the kill because when you are taking wickets, you are building pressure on the batting team. When Noor Ahmad and Akeal Hosein were bowling together, Ruturaj made sure the game did not go too deep. He just wanted to finish it off soon, and that is exactly what he did.”

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CSK Hold Eighth Place On IPL 2026 Table

Despite his impressive captaincy, Gaikwad once again struggled with the bat. The CSK skipper managed only seven runs from six balls at a strike rate of 116.67, hitting one boundary during his brief stay at the crease.

Over his IPL career, the 29-year-old has played 76 matches and 75 innings, scoring 2,565 runs at a strike rate of 136.43 and an average of 38.28.

Following the win, CSK remain in eighth place on the IPL 2026 standings with four points and a net run rate of -0.846.