Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s first outing post a thunderous IPL 2026 ended in a muted 14, but seasoned Ruturaj Gaikwad made a composed 101 to lead India A to a respectable 277 for six against Sri Lanka in a tri-series One-day match in Dambulla on Tuesday (June 9, 2026).

After electing to bat, India A were pushed to a mini-crisis at 16 for two in five overs after early dismissals of Sooryavanshi and Prabhsimran Singh.

But vice-captain Gaikwad, who fetched his 21st List A hundred in 112 balls, and skipper Tilak Varma (60, 97b) added 150 runs for the fourth wicket to steady India’s ship.

There were persistent strong winds across the ground, and the pitch too offered some assistance to the bowlers, making the batting a rather tough proposition.

But Gaikwad and Tilak summoned their years of experience in domestic cricket to resist Lanka’s charge after coming together at 69 for three.

The Indian batters were a bit too slow to begin with, collecting their runs mainly through singles and doubles in the initial phase.

The lone display of aggression came when Gaikwad hammered spinner Vijayakanth Viyaskanth for a six over mid-wicket, which also helped him reach his fifty in 66 balls.

Thereafter he showed a lot more urgency to push the scoring rate ahead. Tilak was more focused on giving strike to his partner. The left-hander reached his fifty in 86 balls just like his partner, lifting slinging pacer Garuka Sanketh for a six over mid-off.

Gaikwad brought up his hundred with a single off left-arm spinner Wanuj Sahan, but got out soon to the same bowler while trying to clear the deep mid-wicket fence.

Tilak too walked back soon, getting castled while trying to ramp pacer Mohamed Shiraz (2/67).

But Ayush Badoni (24, 18b) and Suryansh Shedge (26 not out, 14b) added 46 quick runs as India went past the 270-run mark.

Earlier, there was a lot of focus on Sooryavanshi’s outing and he seemed in a good touch while cracking three fours. But a moment of impatience curtailed his stay — an attempted bunt over mid-off off Shiraz ended in the hands of a diving Sahan Arachchige.

Priyansh Arya made a run-a-ball 32 but a terrible mix-up with Gaikwad resulted in the former’s run-out.

Brief Scores:

India A: 277/6 in 50 overs (Ruturaj Gaikwad 101, Tilak Varma 60; Mohamed Shiraz 2/67).

Chennai Super Kings, following its five-wicket loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad on Monday, is on the brink of failing to qualify for the playoffs for a third straight year. While there were quite a few shortcomings, the franchise’s main concern in IPL 2026 has been the indifferent form of skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad.

Though the 29-year-old is the side’s second-highest scorer (321 runs), he has been inconsistent with just two half-centuries in 13 innings.

His staid approach in the first six overs feels like an anachronism at a time when others are refining and redefining PowerPlay batting. It is reflected in his strike rate of 120.68, the lowest among batters with more than 200 runs.

His intent-less 21-ball 15 against Sunrisers, during which he failed to hit a single boundary despite batting till the 12th over, showed the extent of his struggles.

And this was not even the first time he had struggled in the Power(less)Play. Against Delhi Capitals in Chennai, he managed 15 off 17 with one boundary in the first six overs, even as Sanju Samson at the other end managed 45 off the other 19 deliveries.

The captain’s form was not lost on head coach Stephen Fleming either, who said: “I think Ruturaj can do more. He hasn’t produced the quantity of runs and the pace of runs that he’s done in his career. And that’s something that he will address.”

Even as a leader on the field, Ruturaj is a work in progress. His handling of spinners since taking over in 2024 has left much to be desired. The fact that he didn’t let left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein complete his quota against SRH, despite going for just one for 21 in three overs, was an example of his reluctance to trust the strike bowler.

While CSK’s fate is not in its hands even if it wins its final league game against Gujarat Titans on Thursday, Ruturaj will quickly need to reinvent both as a batter and a captain.

Chennai Super Kings skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad admitted that his bowlers failed to live up to expectations in the team’s seven-wicket defeat to Lucknow Super Giants in an IPL match in Lucknow on Friday (May 15, 2026), and said the five-time winners will address the shortcomings ahead of their remaining two league games.

CSK, with 12 points from 12 matches, now find themselves in a must-win situation in their remaining league games. They will also have to rely on other results going their way to keep their playoff hopes alive.

LSG, despite being out of contention, dealt a massive blow to CSK’s campaign, thanks to Mitchell Marsh’s explosive innings.

“Bowling had an off-day today,” said Gaikwad, adding, “the first challenge is getting to Chennai and make sure we improve on the areas we need to improve, and then adapt and assess the conditions [in the remaining to league games].”

The CSK skipper, however, appeared unfazed by the setback to their playoff hopes, saying the task was still manageable.

“It is simple [playoff hopes], nothing complicated. Nothing to worry about, just ensure we have a good day and hope that we turn things around.”

Gaikwad added that a total of around 190 was competitive, especially with the pitch offering assistance to the pace bowlers, but credited the LSG batters for the aggressive manner in which they approached the chase.

“There was a bit of something for the fast bowlers. Found it difficult to hit it off a hard length. We were looking at 160-170, and got 180. Nothing much better we could have done from a batting point of view.

“They [LSG] batted well and played some extraordinary shots. We were looking [to bowl the short ball] but [Josh] Inglis played differently in the last game, and Marsh plays the short ball well, so we were trying to hit a hard length.

“We missed on execution but they played extraordinary shots. Sometimes the opposition can play good cricket than you, and you have to accept it,” he added.

LSG skipper Rishabh Pant said despite their playoff hopes being dashed, his team had still been “amazing”, adding that overthinking and having too many thought processes had hurt the side at crucial moments.

“It feels good [to win]. Getting a win definitely feels good. The things we talk about, of having a lot to play for, regardless of how the season ends, we take a lot of pride [in playing like this],” said Pant.

“Four fast bowlers, it has been working for us. The team we have, I am going to say it again, is so amazing. The only thing that can harm us is having too many thought-process.”

Pant, who did not bat at his usual No. 4 position, said the decision was taken to give opportunities to players who had not featured much in the tournament.

“I was ready to bat [tonight]. But the idea came in on why not to try players who have not played much. Still wanted to be out there but sometimes, you have to respect some things,” added Pant.

A captain, they say, must lead from the front. By that measure, Ruturaj Gaikwad has endured a quiet start to the Indian Premier League 2026. But Chennai Super Kings’ bowling coach Eric Simons insists there is little concern within the camp over the skipper’s lean run.

“It’s a cliche that class is permanent. Tilak (Varma) had been struggling, hadn’t he? And then he has gone and played an incredible knock. We don’t doubt Rutu at all and he doesn’t doubt himself,” Simons said on Wednesday, on the eve of CSK’s marquee clash against Mumbai Indians.

ike a restored Swiss watch, Chennai Super Kings ticked, getting the timing right again at Chepauk as it clinched a second straight win, beating Kolkata Knight Riders by 32 runs in IPL 2026 here on Tuesday.

Defending 192 under lights, CSK applied the classic Chepauk spin-choke. KKR was made to work for every boundary, with the asking rate nudging up incrementally until the chase slipped out of reach.

Like a metronome finding its beat after a stutter, Noor Ahmad’s rhythm returned, and with it, the steady ticking of wickets. He struck twice in two balls — Ajinkya Rahane (28) miscuing a googly to hole out, and Cameron Green (nought) having his stumps rattled. Later, he dangled a carrot outside off, luring Rinku Singh (six) into a catch at long-on to finish with three for 21.

Pakistan legend Imran Khan famously called on his team to act like ‘cornered tigers’ after three losses in the first five matches of the 1992 World Cup. They eventually went all the way.

Though Chennai Super Kings’ mascot is a lion, Ruturaj Gaikwad and his men might need to invoke a similar spirit to revive their faltering IPL-19 campaign. Seeking to open its account when it takes on Delhi Capitals at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium here on Saturday, a battered and bruised CSK desperately requires a dose of brilliance to stem the tide.

The five-time champion losing its first three games does not signal the end of the world, but the manner in which it was outplayed should set off alarm bells.

Filling the void left by proven match-winners and established names is like replacing the irreplaceable. But none can escape the constant of change.

Chennai Super Kings, an IPL franchise which was once labelled the ‘Dad’s Army’ for recruiting many veterans, has been injecting young blood into the squad in recent times as it hopes to bring back the glory days.

Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, however, admitted that it is no child’s play to start clicking straightaway with a bunch of youth.

“Till the end of the last cycle, we had the best experienced players who were available.

“But looking at this team, it is a very young one. The excitement is obviously there, but there is a lot of difference between experienced and inexperienced players,” said Ruturaj ahead of the clash against Punjab Kings, scheduled on Friday (April 3, 2026).

“We have to allow them (youngsters) to make mistakes. We have to make sure that they are in a good headspace. We just have to stay positive and hope for the best. Even if it does not happen, we must know that it is a long process. It will definitely happen one day.”

Ruturaj called for patience despite having the understanding that an indifferent start could prove detrimental to the team’s playoff chances.

“There is a lot of pressure to get into that high level of performance. They are learning slowly. Sometimes, it takes time. The more games they play, the better they will get,” he added.

CSK is slow, but is it steady enough to win the IPL 2026 race?

Prithvi Shaw is set to lead Maharashtra in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy league phase, replacing Ruturaj Gaikwad, who has been recalled to India’s ODI squad for the upcoming series against South Africa.

He was named captain on Friday when the Maharashtra selection committee — chaired by former left-arm spinner Akshay Darekar — announced the 16-member squad. Notably, the squad did not include a designated vice-captain.

On Sunday, multiple sources within the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) confirmed that Shaw will be elevated to captaincy once Gaikwad departs. The selectors and team management had already sounded out Shaw about taking over the leadership if required, and the opener had been advised to be prepared for the role.

An official announcement regarding Shaw’s elevation and Gaikwad’s replacement is expected on Monday. The captaincy comes as a timely boost for Shaw as he aims to draw the attention of Indian Premier League franchises ahead of next month’s auction.

Shaw moved to Maharashtra at the start of the season after being dropped from Mumbai’s squads last year. He has been in red-hot form in the Ranji Trophy, amassing 470 runs in seven innings — including a double-century and three half-centuries — at an impressive average of 67.14.

Maharashtra has been drawn in a challenging Group B, alongside Jammu & Kashmir, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Goa. The team will play all its league matches in Kolkata.