The Chennai Super Kings are officially out of the IPL 2026 playoff race. Gujarat Titans delivered an 89-run blowout at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, officially eliminating the five-time champions for a third consecutive season. Gujarat posted 229/4 in their 20 overs before bundling out Chennai for just 140 in 13.4 overs.
This early exit caps an unusually dark period for the historically dominant Chennai franchise. For the first time in tournament history, team legend MS Dhoni missed the entirety of the league stage due to a thumb injury. The leadership void showed on the field as Gujarat’s top order dismantled the bowling attack from the first over.
Captain Shubman Gill and B Sai Sudharsan anchored the innings with a 125-run opening stand. Gill hit 64 off 37 balls while Sudharsan scored 84 off 53 deliveries. During the blitz, the pair secured their seventh century partnership in the IPL. This breaks the previous tournament record of six century stands held jointly by the David Warner-Shikhar Dhawan and Travis Head-Abhishek Sharma pairings. Gill also crossed the 6,000-run mark in T20 cricket during the match.
Jos Buttler finished the Gujarat innings by smashing an unbeaten 57 off just 27 deliveries.
Chennai’s run chase collapsed immediately. Mohammed Siraj struck on the very first ball of the innings, dismissing Sanju Samson for a golden duck. Siraj finished with three wickets in the powerplay, according to an in-depth match breakdown by ANI detailing the rapid fall of wickets. Kagiso Rabada and Rashid Khan also tore through the lineup, claiming three wickets each.
Shivam Dube provided the only resistance for Chennai, hitting a quick 47 off 17 balls before falling to Rashid. No other batsman built a sustained partnership.
Gujarat finishes the league stage with 18 points, nine wins, five losses, and a .695 net run rate. The victory guarantees Gujarat a top-two finish alongside Royal Challengers Bengaluru. This puts direct pressure on Sunrisers Hyderabad, who recently clinched a playoff spot, to finalize their exact seeding position. Rajasthan Royals, Punjab Kings, and Kolkata Knight Riders are now left battling for the fourth and final playoff spot.