GT Crush Chennai Super Kings by 8 Wickets at Chepauk Behind Sudharsan’s Blitz
Gujarat Titans beat Chennai Super Kings by 8 wickets — chasing down 159 in just 16.4 overs thanks to Sai Sudharsan’s explosive 87 off 46 balls. Kagiso Rabada earned Player of the Match for his devastating 3/25 spell that dismantled CSK’s top order in the powerplay.
This victory pushes GT to 5th place in the IPL 2026 table while leaving CSK worrying about their top-four chances as the playoff race tightens. At the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday, April 26, 2026, GT’s toss decision to bowl first paid immediate dividends.
How It Happened
GT won the toss and chose to bowl — a call that backfired CSK within the first four overs. Kagiso Rabada struck twice in quick succession, removing Sanju Samson (11) and Urvil Patel (4) to leave Chennai reeling at 25/2.
CSK was further shattered when Mohammed Siraj dismissed impact substitute Sarfaraz Khan for a golden duck on his first ball. The home side trudged to 28/3 after the powerplay, clearly behind the curve.
Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad stood alone, grinding out a resilient 74 not out off 60 balls with 6 fours and 4 sixes. Late hits from Jamie Overton — 18 off 6 — lifted CSK to a respectable 158/7, but it was below par for Chepauk.
Chasing 159, GT raced away from the start. Sai Sudharsan blended class and power, smashed 8 boundaries and 4 towering sixes, and reached his fifty in record time. By the 17th over, with 87 off 46 at a strike rate of 189.13, the match was effectively over.
GT crossed the line at 162/2 in 16.4 overs — 20 balls remaining. No drama, no nervy finish. Just a batting clinic anchored by Sudharsan.
Scorecard / Match Stats
Gujarat Titans batting
| Batter | Dismissal | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sai Sudharsan | c Dewald Brevis b Akeal Hosein | 87 | 46 | 4 | 7 | 189.13 |
| Shubman Gill (c) | st Sanju Samson b Noor Ahmad | 33 | 23 | 1 | 3 | 143.48 |
| Jos Buttler (wk) | not out | 39 | 30 | 4 | 1 | 130.00 |
| Washington Sundar | not out | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
Extras: 2 (b 0, lb 0, w 2, nb 0, p 0)
Total: 162/2 in 16.4 overs, RR 9.72
Chennai bowlers
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | NB | WD | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akeal Hosein | 3.4 | 0 | 46 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12.50 |
| Anshul Kamboj | 3 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5.30 |
| Jamie Overton | 2 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 14.00 |
| Gurjapneet Singh | 3 | 0 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12.00 |
| Noor Ahmad | 4 | 0 | 29 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7.20 |
| Shivam Dube | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7.00 |
Chennai Super Kings batting
| Batter | Dismissal | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sanju Samson (wk) | c Jos Buttler b Kagiso Rabada | 11 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 73.33 |
| Ruturaj Gaikwad (c) | not out | 74 | 60 | 6 | 4 | 123.33 |
| Urvil Patel | c Jason Holder b Kagiso Rabada | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 133.33 |
| Sarfaraz Khan | c Jos Buttler b Mohammed Siraj | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Dewald Brevis | c Shubman Gill b Manav Suthar | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 22.22 |
| Shivam Dube | b Arshad Khan | 22 | 17 | 3 | 1 | 129.41 |
| Kartik Sharma | c Jason Holder b Kagiso Rabada | 15 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 166.67 |
| Jamie Overton | c Shahrukh Khan b Arshad Khan | 18 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 300.00 |
| Akeal Hosein | not out | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Extras: 12 (b 0, lb 2, w 10, nb 0, p 0)
Total: 158/7 in 20 overs, RR 7.9
Gujarat bowlers
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | NB | WD | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mohammed Siraj | 4 | 0 | 23 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5.80 |
| Kagiso Rabada | 4 | 0 | 25 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6.20 |
| Manav Suthar | 3 | 0 | 22 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 7.30 |
| Jason Holder | 4 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5.50 |
| Arshad Khan | 4 | 0 | 43 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 10.80 |
| Rashid Khan | 1 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 21.00 |
Star Performer
Kagiso Rabada walked away with Player of the Match — 3 wickets for 25 runs in 4 overs. His spell wasn’t just about numbers; it was about timing. He struck in the powerplay when wickets matter most, ripping out Samson and Patel in quick succession and leaving CSK at 25/2.
Rabada’s pace and bounce proved too much for the CSK top order on a track where timing was already difficult. He kept the lines tight, extracted extra bounce, and never let CSK rebuild. Three wickets in 11 balls. The middle order that had looked dangerous 20 minutes ago — gone.
The Turning Point
The match turned in the first over of the second powerplay phase — specifically when Rabada removed Sanju Samson and Urvil Patel in quick succession, followed immediately by Siraj clean-bowling Sarfaraz Khan for a duck. CSK crashed to 28/3 after 4 overs, and they never recovered.
Before that spell, CSK looked on track for 170+. After it, Gaikwad was batting alone. The momentum shifted decisively to GT, and the chase became a formality once Sudharsan took charge.
What This Means
GT moves to 5th place in the IPL 2026 table, breathing down the top four as the playoff race intensifies. CSK, meanwhile, face growing pressure — their second consecutive loss raises questions about their middle-order stability and powerplay vulnerability.
CSK’s next match is yet to be confirmed in the fixture list; GT will look to build momentum as they aim for a top-four finish with several games remaining.
The Bottom Line
GT didn’t just beat CSK — they outclassed them. Rabada broke the spine early, Sudharsan finished it with style, and Chennai was left staring at another disappointing home defeat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who won CSK vs GT in IPL 2026 Match 37?
A: Gujarat Titans won by 8 wickets, chasing 159 in 16.4 overs.
Q: Who was the Player of the Match?
A: Kagiso Rabada (GT) — 3/25 in 4 overs, dismantling CSK’s top order in the powerplay.
References
Crictimes — “Fans go crazy as Kagiso Rabada and Sai Sudharsan star in GT’s dominant win over CSK” — https://crickettimes.com/2026/04/fans-go-crazy-as-kagiso-rabada-and-sai-sudharsan-star-in-gts-dominant-win-over-csk/
NDTV Sports — “PT player of Match Kagiso Rabada 3/25(4), CSK 158/7, GT 162/2” — https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/csk-vs-gt-scorecard-live-cricket-score-ipl-2026-match-37-ckahm04262026270337
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