After CSK won twice in a row for the first time since April 2024, captain Ruturaj Gaikwad believes things are starting to fall into place for Chennai Super Kings. The five-time champions secured their second straight win in the Indian Premier League 2026 by beating Kolkata Knight Riders by 32 runs on Tuesday.
During what was a transitional phase for the party, CSK followed up their comprehensive 23 run win over Delhi Capitals with another solid performance and climbed one place to eighth in the points table.
“Slowly, slowly it’s coming together, I feel,” Gaikwad said on the radio after the match.
“Everybody kind of knows what their role is, which overs and what lengths to bowl at. I think they adapt really well and adapt to what (the) team needs.”
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“Like I said, we’re slowly, slowly improving and that’s a good sign for us,” he said.
CSK posted 192/5 after being put in to bat, the total conceded by Gaikwad was below their initial expectations but ultimately proved sufficient on a tricky surface.
“We defended a good score. I felt it was a par score considering the wicket changed drastically after the first seven or eight overs,” he said.
“It started to spin a bit, it stalled a bit. First we were looking at 220, 210 but then we thought anything around 190, 180 would be a good score and then we just had to get a good power play in the bowling,” added Gaikwad.
The foundation of CSK’s victory was laid by Afghan spinner Noor Ahmad, who returned figures of 3 for 21 in his four overs, breaking KKR’s chase with a decisive spell in the middle overs.
“It was dewy and it was humid so (I tried to) keep my fingers dry and that helped me a lot to hit the right areas,” he said.
“I think the ball to bat didn’t go really well and to take advantage of that was good. I will continue to try to contribute to my team in the upcoming matches,” he said.
With back-to-back wins, CSK appear to be gaining momentum after a slow start, with Gaikwad’s words reflecting a side that is gradually clarifying its roles and execution as the tournament progresses.
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
15 Apr 2026 01:02 IST
