During their IPL 2026 match on Tuesday, 14 April, players from both the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) wore black armbands as a mark of respect for former India cricketer CD Gopinath, who passed away on 9 April 2026. CD Gopinath, who died at the age of 96, was a historic figure in Indian cricket.

He was the last surviving member of the Indian team that secured the country's first-ever Test win, which occurred against England in 1952 at Chepauk, the same venue as tonight's match. At the time of his passing, he was India's oldest living Test cricketer and the second oldest in the world.Gopinath played 8 Tests between 1951 and 1960, scoring an unbeaten 50 on debut. He also captained Madras (now Tamil Nadu) to their maiden Ranji Trophy title in 1954-55.Following his playing career, he served as the chairman of the national selection committee and managed the Indian team during their 1979 tour of England.

Some fans initially believed the armbands were for legendary singer Asha Bhosle, who passed away on 13 April 2026. While players in the Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals match a day earlier did wear armbands for her, the gesture in the KKR vs CSK clash was specifically for Gopinath.

CD Gopinath’s historic cricket career

C.D. Gopinath was a stylish right-handed batter who played for the Indian national team and represented Madras (now Tamil Nadu) in domestic cricket. His career is most famous for his role in India's first-ever Test victory in 1952. Gopinath's international career spanned eight Test matches, where he was known for his elegant stroke play, particularly his whiplash square cut. He accumulated a total of 242 runs at an average of 22.00.His best performance was an unbeaten 50 on his debut against England in 1951 at the Brabourne Stadium. He followed this with a gritty 42 in the second innings of the same match.

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Gopinath was a heavyweight in domestic cricket, where his statistics were significantly more prolific. He played 83 first-class matches, primarily for Madras.He amassed 4,259 runs at a strong average of 42.16. He recorded 9 centuries and 23 half-centuries.His career-best score was 234 against Mysore in the 1958-59 Ranji Trophy season.