Watch: Axar Patel dismisses Ruturaj Gaikwad for 15 during CSK vs DC clash in IPL 2026

Ruturaj Gaikwad, the newly appointed captain of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, has continued to struggle in the tournament with another low score during the encounter against the Delhi Capitals (DC) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. 

Gaikwad didn’t get many strikes and was attentive in giving the strike back to Sanju Samson, who looked good in the middle, inside the powerplay for his powerplay shots. The visitors won the toss and decided to bowl first on a surface which they reckoned would get better to chase in the presence of dew.

Axar Patel sends back Ruturaj Gaikwad for 15

It was the first time in the season when the Chennai side didn’t lose a single wicket inside the first six overs of the innings, while Delhi, for the first time in this campaign, failed to pick up a wicket inside the powerplay.

CSK smashed 61 runs without any wickets in the first six overs against DC. Ruturaj Gaikwad, who smashed Axar Patel on the first delivery of the fourth over through the covers for a rollicking boundary, got dismissed to the left-arm spinner.

Watch the video here: 

On the second delivery of the seventh over, the right-handed batter made his way into the dressing room for 15 runs in 18 balls. This was fractionally short by the spinner as the batter wanted to pull it away. He took the aerial route but didn’t get the power and timing to find the deep mid-wicket fielder.

Sanju Samson offers CSK strong start with half-century

Away from the defense and struggle of Gaikwad, Samson was on a mission. He creamed Auqib Nabi for a boundary before smashing Mukesh Kumar for two successive boundaries. With nine boundaries, the Kerala-born celebrated his first half-century for the new franchise as CSK made their way to 77/1 in nine overs.

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It wasn’t a great start, given they managed 16/1 in the last three overs since the end of the powerplay. DC used their spinners brilliantly to increase the pressure on the home side.

Brief Scores (at the time of writing): CSK- 111/1 (Sanju Samson 70, Axar Patel 1/28) vs DC

Fans react to Gaikwad’s dismissal against Axar in IPL 2026

Here is how the fans have reacted to Gaikwad’s dismissal against Axar in the IPL 2026-