Watch: Nitish Rana reacts as Tristan Stubbs glove change denied in CSK vs DC IPL 2026

Chennai Super Kings beat Delhi Capitals by 23 runs in the IPL 2026 at Chepauk. Sanju Samson played a superb innings of 115* (56) while Ayush Mhatre scored 59. Their 113-run stand enabled CSK to reach a commanding total of 212/2.

In the chase, Delhi Capitals put up a tough fight but lost wickets and got bowled out for 189. Tristan Stubbs made a courageous knock of 60, keeping the chase alive. However, Jamie Overton's outstanding spell of 4/18 made things tough for Delhi Capitals to achieve the target.

This was the first win of the season for CSK whereas DC registered their second straight defeat of the season. But there was a controversial moment that happened in the last overs of the match that clearly changed its momentum. A glove change request from Stubbs was refused by the umpire, which made him clearly frustrated. This moment also involved Nitish Rana and soon became a huge talking point.

Why Nitish Rana questioned the umpire during the match

The incident occurred in the 19th over when Tristan Stubbs said he needed to change his gloves because of sweat and discomfort. The humid conditions in Chennai made it hard for him to hold the bat correctly in a key period. However, the umpire denied the request as it could delay the game.

Nitish Rana then approached and asked for the third umpire decision on the field. He said that wet gloves could impact the performance as well as the safety of the players in such a high-pressure situation. The DC dugout also looked unhappy and was seen discussing the matter with the officials.

Soon after the incident, Stubbs tried to play an attacking shot but ended up getting dismissed. He was caught by Noor Ahmad off Jamie Overton, which ended DC’s hopes in the match. As he walked back, Stubbs showed his frustration by throwing his gloves and reacting angrily.

Watch the video here