IPL 2026: Here’s why Sai Kishore is not playing against CSK in today’s match

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The high-octane drama of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 reached its peak as Gujarat Titans (GT) hosted Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for the critical 66th match of the season at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Thursday. With the tournament entering its business end, this clash carried massive implications for both sides. While Shubman Gill’s Gujarat Titans had already secured their playoff qualification and were aiming to lock in a top-two finish, the Super Kings entered the arena fighting to keep their flickering playoff aspirations alive. As fans anticipated a classic tactical battle, the talk of the town quickly shifted to a major strategic omission in the Titans’ bowling lineup right at the toss.

The primary reason behind Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore’s absence from the Gujarat Titans’ playing XI against Chennai Super Kings comes down to specific pitch conditions and tactical restructuring. Winning the toss on an Ahmedabad surface that promised extra zip, CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad elected to bowl first to exploit early pace and bounce. Acknowledging these conditions, GT captain Gill decided to pivot his bowling strategy away from spin.

At the toss, Gill confirmed that the Titans made a single, direct modification to their lineup, recalling premier speedster Prasidh Krishna to the mix in place of the left-arm orthodox spinner, Kishore.

Gill explained that team management chose not to rely purely on past stadium statistics, which historically favour batting first to avoid minimal dew, but opted instead to bolster their frontline pace battery. The decision to bench Sai Kishore is purely a horses-for-courses strategy meant to maximize aggression on a hard track. Gill also emphasized the need to raise the team’s overall fielding and bowling intensity following lapses in their previous game, indicating that tactical changes were vital to sustaining momentum into the hot zone of the tournament.

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Both franchises adjusted their team balance significantly to suit the conditions of the Narendra Modi Stadium, utilizing key tactical rotations and naming powerful options on their respective benches.

Gujarat Titans (Playing XI): Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Jos Buttler (wk), Nishant Sindhu, Washington Sundar, Jason Holder, Rashid Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Kagiso Rabada, Arshad Khan, Mohammed Siraj.

Gujarat Titans Impact Substitutes: Prasidh Krishna, Anuj Rawat, Glenn Phillips, Kulwant Khejroliya, Kumar Kushagra.

Chennai Super Kings (Playing XI): Sanju Samson (wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Urvil Patel, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Matthew Short, Anshul Kamboj, Noor Ahmad, Spencer Johnson, Mukesh Choudhary, Gurjapneet Singh.

Chennai Super Kings Impact Substitutes: Kartik Sharma, Macneil Noronha, Sarfaraz Khan, Kuldip Yadav, Aman Khan.

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