CSK Lose to GT; Dhoni Misses 8th Straight IPL Match

Chennai Super Kings suffered a defeat to Gujarat Titans at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday, dropping to sixth place on the IPL 2026 points table while Gujarat climbed to fifth, as veteran wicketkeeper MS Dhoni missed his eighth consecutive match due to a lingering calf injury.

CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad opted to field first after winning the toss on a dry pitch, but the team struggled in pursuit of Gujarat's total. Gaikwad found some form with the bat, yet CSK could not post a challenging score. The lineup featured one change, with Urvil Patel replacing Sarfaraz Khan, who was named an impact substitute alongside Ramakrishna Ghosh, Mukesh Choudhary, Prashant Veer and Matthew Short. Sanju Samson continued as wicketkeeper. Gujarat's side included Shubman Gill as captain, Jos Buttler, Rashid Khan and Kagiso Rabada.

Dhoni, sidelined since before the season began on March 28 with an initial two-week absence, has trained with the team in nets ahead of recent games against Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad. He performed wicketkeeping drills and batted well but stayed at the team hotel rather than joining the dugout, a pattern throughout the campaign. Head coach Stephen...