Ruturaj Gaikwad scored a hard-fought 56 off 50 balls against the Gujarat Titans today, anchoring the innings as the Chennai Super Kings slumped to a difficult 110/5 in 16.2 overs. CSK faced a major setback early on, losing three wickets for just 28 runs in the powerplay.Gaikwad was unusually sedate initially, managing only 19 runs from his first 32 balls as the pressure mounted.Alongside Shivam Dube (22 off 17), Gaikwad staged a crucial recovery, shifting gears in the 13th over by hitting two massive sixes off Arshad Khan.
This knock marked his first half-century of the IPL 2026 season, coming at a time when he had been under scrutiny for his recent form.In the 13th over, he finally broke free, smashing Arshad Khan for two massive sixes to bring the Chepauk crowd back to life.He brought up his 50 in the 16th over against Siraj, marking his first half-century of the 2026 season. After Gaikwad's steadying hand, CSK reached 111/5 in 16.3 overs.
Ruturaj Gaikwad has now hit 100 sixes in IPL
Chennai Super Kings captain Ruturaj Gaikwad officially crossed the 100 sixes milestone in the IPL on 26 April 2026. He reached this mark during his 79th IPL match while playing against the Gujarat Titans at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium. Gaikwad is only the fourth batter to hit 100 or more sixes for the Chennai Super Kings. By reaching this feat in 79 matches, he remains one of the franchise's most efficient and consistent run-scorers.
He also notably holds the record as the fastest Indian to reach 2,000 IPL runs, achieving the feat in just 57 innings. Earlier this year, he also became the fastest player to hit 100 sixes in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Known initially as a "technical" batter, Gaikwad’s power game has evolved significantly. His 2023 season remains his most explosive to date, where he cleared the boundary 30 times.
