CSK vs PBKS toss (Screengrab) NEW DELHI: The moment of toss in the IPL 2026 match between Chennai Super Kings and Punjab Kings turned unexpectedly chaotic due to the deafening crowd in Chepauk. When captain Ruturaj Gaikwad came forward to speak, the noise made it almost impossible for anyone to hear them, causing a light but annoying delay.
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Mike Hussey admits CSK were outplayed after the batting collapse Toss host Ian Bishop had to approach Gaikwad and eventually apologized for the delay. “I don’t know. I don’t know for how long. Let me come closer. I apologize to the cameras,” he said. He added: “I’m sorry it’s dragging on because of the noise and the cheering. I’m sorry I can’t hear you and I’m dragging it out.” This moment showed how passionate CSK fans are at their home ground.Watch:Meanwhile, PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and opted to bowl first citing the new pitch and confidence from the previous win.Gaikwad explained his team’s approach, especially the decision to open the batting himself. “That was the key for CSK as a franchise… I didn’t feel any better than when Sanju and I opened the batting. So it was just the thought process behind it,” he said.He also spoke about the pitch conditions: “It’s looking a bit on the drier side. And I don’t think it’s going to change too much… The dew will be a key factor in the second innings. So I think it runs the gamut and you can definitely defend on this track.”CSK are looking to bounce back after a heavy loss in their first match, while PBKS are looking to continue their winning streak.CSK vs PBKS playing XI:Punjab Kings: Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (capt), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal.Punjab Kings Impact Subjects: Suryansh Shedge, Priyansh Arya, Vishnu Vinod, Pravin Dubey, Hemant BrarChennai Super Kings: Sanju Samson (wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad (capt), Ayush Mhatre, Sarfaraz Khan, Shivam Dube, Kartik Sharma, Prashant Veer, Noor Ahmed, Matt Henry, Anshul Kamboj, Khaleel Ahmed.Chennai Super Kings Impact Subs: Jamie Overton, Rahul Chahar, Matthew Short, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Gurjapneet Singh.
