GT vs CSK preview: Gujarat Titans take on Chennai Super Kings in Ahmedabad; check head-to-head, pitch report, more

Gujarat Titans will host Chennai Super Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Thursday, 21 May. The match starts at 7:30 PM IST.

Gujarat have already qualified for the playoffs. Now, Shubman Gill’s plan is to remain in the Top 2 to have better chances for the IPL 2026 final. GT have reached 2 finals in the 3 IPL played so far.

CSK are in a tricky situation. It has 12 points now and can reach 14 if they win tonight. That may not be enough, but there’s an outside chance. For Chennai to qualify, both Rajasthan, Kolkata and Punjab must lose their last match. If DC, too, end up with 14, Chennai need a better Net Run Rate to qualify.

Match Logistics

The match is at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, starting at 7:30 PM IST. It will be broadcast on Star Sports and streamed on JioHotstar.

The venue has a seating capacity of around 1,32,000 fans. It is the largest stadium in the world, in any sport.

Head-to-Head Record

CSK and GT have met 9 times in the IPL. GT lead the head-to-head record with 5 wins. CSK have won 4 matches in the fixture.

GT's highest team score against CSK is 231/3, posted in Ahmedabad in 2024. CSK's highest total in the fixture is 230/3, also at Ahmedabad, in 2025.

GT's lowest score is 143/8, recorded in Chennai in 2024. CSK's lowest total is 133/5, posted in Chennai in 2022.

The biggest win margin belongs to CSK. They beat GT by 83 runs in Ahmedabad in 2025. In 2026, GT won by 8 wickets. In 2024, each side won one match apiece.

Ruturaj Gaikwad (CSK) leads all run-scorers in this fixture with over 350 runs. Rashid Khan and Mohit Sharma are the top wicket-takers for GT, with nine wickets each against CSK.

Predicted Playing XIs

Gujarat Titans: Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler, Nishant Sindhu, Washington Sundar, Rahul Tewatia, Jason Holder, Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, Shahrukh Khan (Impact Player).

Chennai Super Kings: Sanju Samson, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Urvil Patel, Kartik Sharma, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Akeal Hosein, Prashant Veer, Anshul Kamboj, Noor Ahmad, Mukesh Choudhary, Spencer Johnson (Impact Player).

Team News

MS Dhoni will not feature in the match. He has returned home to Ranchi with a calf injury. Batting coach Mike Hussey confirmed that Dhoni will only return if CSK qualify for the playoffs. That may mean Chennai fans are unlikely to see MSD play again.

CSK will lean heavily on Sanju Samson and captain Ruturaj Gaikwad. A strong win with a big net run rate boost is essential.

Gujarat Titans, by contrast, head into the game in ideal shape. They have no injury concerns and a fully fit squad available. GT have already secured their playoff berth. Their goal now is to finish in the top two.

A win tonight gives them two chances to reach the final. Captain Shubman Gill has the luxury of flexibility in selection.

Key Players to Watch

Shubman Gill (GT): The Gujarat captain is one of IPL 2026's leading run-scorers with 552 runs at a strike rate of 160. He also holds the highest individual score at this venue in Ahmedabad.

Sai Sudharsan (GT): The batter has been GT's most consistent batter this season, with over 554 runs at a strike rate of 157.83. He smashed 87 off 46 balls against CSK earlier this season.

Sanju Samson (CSK): The opener is the key weapon against GT's spin threat. He has scored 477 runs with a strike rate of 166.20.

Ruturaj Gaikwad (CSK): The Chennai captain must improve his powerplay scoring rate in this must-win game. He has scored 321 runs in 13 matches, with a moderate strike rate of 120.68.

Urvil Patel (CSK): The 27-year-old brings explosive firepower at the top, having scored 65 off 23 balls this season. He has scored 129 runs in 6 matches with a strike rate of 208.06.

Kagiso Rabada (GT): The South African pacer leads GT's pace attack. He took 3/25 against CSK in the reverse fixture.

Rashid Khan (GT): The Afghan spinner has 16 wickets in the tournament. He will target CSK's middle order.

Anshul Kamboj (CSK): The pacer’s death-over bowling will be critical for CSK's chances. One of the top contenders for the Purple Cap, Kamboj has taken 20 wickets so far.

Pitch and Conditions

Ahmedabad promises clear skies with zero chance of rain. The full 40 overs are expected to be completed without interruption.

Daytime temperatures peaked at 41°C–42°C. Match-time temperatures will ease to around 29°C–31°C. Humidity will range between 35% and 60%, with a light southwest breeze.

Dew is the big factor tonight. Significant moisture is expected to settle from around the 12th to 15th over of the second innings. This will make the ball slippery and defending totals extremely difficult.

The Narendra Modi Stadium surface is a hard, dry red-soil pitch offering true and even bounce. It is highly batting-friendly with one of India's fastest outfields.

Pacers hold the upper hand, accounting for 74% of recent wickets here. Spinners will find grip early but struggle once dew arrives.

A par score of 180–190 is recommended for the team batting first. Both captains are likely to prefer chasing tonight.

CSK must act to keep themselves in contention. Magic happens when you don’t lose hope. GT, on the other hand, will try and seal their Top 2 position tonight.