Why are players wearing black armbands in ongoing CSK vs KKR match in IPL 2026?

The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are hosting the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Tuesday night (April 14) in the 22nd game of the IPL 2026. The match is running with black armbands for both teams, and here we know the actual reason. 

MA Chidambaram Stadium (Chepauk, Chennai) is hosting the CSK vs KKR match on Tuesday night. Both teams are wearing the black armbands as a mark of respect to the former Indian cricketer C. D. Gopinath, who died on April 9. Both teams are giving respect to the former Indian cricketer, who was a part of the historic Indian Test team. 

C. D. Gopinath passed away on April 9 at the age of 96 years. He died peacefully in his sleep at his daughter's home. Apart from serving the Indian national cricket team, he was also the chairman of the national selection committee and manager of the national team on the 1979 England tour. 

See Also: Watch: Dewald Brevis arrives amidst loud cheer at Chepauk during CSK vs KKR clash in IPL 2026

Who was C. D. Gopinath?

C. D. Gopinath, full name as Chingleput Doraikannu Gopinath, was the last surviving member of the Indian national cricket team squad, who recorded the first Test win for the nation. It was the 1952 Chennai Test against England, where he scored a crucial 35 runs at the no.8 batting position, while India won that Test by an innings and eight runs. 

In that same historic home Test series, Gopinath made his international cricket debut during the second Test of the five-match series at Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai. Batting at no.8, he scored 50 not out and 42 runs in that Test match. During India's second innings, when the hosts were struggling at 88/7, Gopinath's batting saved them, while he had a 71-run partnership with Vinoo Mankad for the eighth wicket. It helped India to set a fourth innings target of 238 runs for England after the hosts were bowled out for 208 runs in their innings. The Test ultimately ended in a draw with England's fourth innings replying with 55/2. 

From December 1951 to January 1960, Gopinath played eight Tests, where the right-handed batter scored 242 runs in 12 innings, including one half-century. As a right-arm medium, he also took one international wicket, as he dismissed the English opener Frank Lowson (22) during the fourth innings on his Test debut. 

In domestic cricket, Gopinath was the captain of Madras (presently known as Tamil Nadu) and South Zone. In his 83 first-class matches, the right-handed batter scored 4259 runs in 119 innings with an average of 42.16, including nine centuries and 23 half-centuries with his highest score of 234. 

KKR facing important challenge against CSK

Coming back to the CSK vs KKR IPL 2026 match, it is an important game for both teams, who have had poor starts. While both teams are playing their fifth match of the season, CSK have two points with one win and three losses, and KKR have only one point with one no result and three defeats. Both teams need to win the match to get back the confidence.