Chennai, April 3: In the seventh match of IPL 2026, Punjab Kings defeated Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by five wickets. Following the team’s second consecutive loss this season, captain Ruturaj Gaikwad stated that the poor performance of the spinners significantly impacted CSK’s chances. Punjab Kings successfully chased down the target of 210 runs set by CSK in just 18.4 overs.
After the defeat against Punjab Kings, Ruturaj said, “To be honest, I thought it was a really good score. The wicket was better for fast bowlers, but I felt it was gripping a bit for the spinners, and the ball wasn’t coming onto the bat properly. The slower balls were also gripping. So, considering the size of the boundaries, I thought it was indeed a very good score.”
Regarding the decision to bring in Rahul Chahar as an impact player, Ruturaj mentioned, “Yes, we felt we had three fast bowlers, and obviously, we had two good wrist spinners working together, especially in the middle overs after the powerplay. We thought that would help. However, I think it was a tough day for Noor Ahmad and Rahul Chahar, which is why we faced a setback.”
Discussing the bowlers’ performance, Ruturaj noted, “I think our bowlers had a mixed performance. Sometimes we bowled really well, and at other times, we didn’t bowl at the right times. Just when we were having a good over, we would concede a six or a four. Therefore, I think we couldn’t build the pressure effectively.”
He added, “There was a point when the run rate reached 11 runs per over, and then perhaps after that, we had some good overs. It could have gone up to 12 or 13. That’s how you gain momentum. So, I think we missed that momentum in the middle overs. It was definitely a tough match, but as I said, there were many positive aspects as well.”
Ruturaj praised the performance of the batsmen, stating that such displays would boost their confidence.