Ruturaj Gaikwad Enters CSK Record Books After Match-Winning Knock vs MI, Trails Raina and Dhoni

May 03, 2026: Chennai Super Kings produced a dominant performance to beat Mumbai Indians by eight wickets in the 44th match of IPL 2026 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on May 2. The win helped CSK keep their playoff hopes alive, while MI suffered yet another setback in a difficult season.

Leading into the match, the Mumbai Indians, led by Hardik Pandya, were under heavy pressure after losing six of their first eight games. They needed a win to stay in the playoff race but once again failed to deliver with both bat and ball.

Mumbai won the toss and chose to bat first. Hardik Pandya said they wanted the batters to play freely and set a strong total before the bowlers took charge. However, the plan did not work as only Ryan Rickelton and Naman Dhir made notable contributions. Rickelton scored 37 off 24 balls, while Naman Dhir top-scored with 57 off 37 balls. After their dismissals, Mumbai’s batting collapsed. Suryakumar Yadav scored 21, Tilak Varma managed just 5 off 8 balls, and Hardik Pandya made 18 off 21 balls. The team was eventually restricted to 159 runs, which was below par in modern T20 cricket.

Victory 4 us! 🦁💛#WhistlePodu #CSKvMI pic.twitter.com/0xTc8Rk64g

— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) May 2, 2026

Ruturaj Gaikwad leads CSK chase with record-breaking knock

Chennai Super Kings lost Sanju Samson early in the chase, but captain Ruturaj Gaikwad controlled the innings with great composure. He played an unbeaten knock of 67 off 48 balls, guiding his team steadily towards the target.

With this innings, Gaikwad also achieved a major milestone, becoming the third-highest run-scorer for CSK in IPL history with 2,747 runs. He moved past Faf du Plessis and now trails only Suresh Raina (4,687 runs) and MS Dhoni (4,865 runs).

After the match, Gaikwad said, “Feels good, actually. I thought we started really well a couple of overs and then, they got a bit of momentum there. After powerplay, we pulled it back really well. I thought we were chasing 20 to 30 runs less. After that, it was just about getting through the first couple of overs and making sure one of the top three stays till the end.”

200 x command
500 x elegance
♾️ class 🦁💛#WhistlePodu #CSKvMI pic.twitter.com/pAjWm5mppR

— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) May 2, 2026

Kartik Sharma shines as CSK complete easy win

CSK’s chase was further supported by Kartik Sharma, who was promoted to number four. Bought for INR 14.2 crore, the 18-year-old finally got a chance in his preferred role and delivered an unbeaten 54 off 40 balls. His knock ensured there were no late hiccups as CSK finished the chase comfortably.

With this win, Chennai Super Kings registered their fourth victory in nine matches and stayed alive in the playoff race. Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians’ struggles continued, leaving their qualification hopes in serious doubt after another disappointing performance.