- By Namrata Vijay
- Tue, 14 Apr 2026 09:49 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
CSK vs KKR IPL 2026: Both Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings players were spotted wearing black armbands during their IPL 2026 match at the Chepauk Stadium. KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane won the toss and chose to bowl first against CSK.
The Kolkata-based franchise made one change to their playing XI, bringing back Varun Chakravarthy to replace Navdeep Saini.
"Looking to bowl first. I think the last game was really good for us. Unfortunately, the result didn't go our way. But I thought the kind of cricket we played, guys are getting that confidence from the last game. It's all about starting fresh. It's important, when things aren't going our way, to hold that belief, stay positive, and have those small, small moments in the T20 format, which is really important. So now, looking forward to this game, we'll start really well with the ball and then look to chase down the target. (on the last game), yes absolutely. The kind of knock Mukul played the other night was fantastic. I mean, it's going to happen in this format. As I said, it's all about belief. Guys are working really hard", Ajinkya Rahane was heard as saying at the toss.
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"For us, what matters is putting those hard yards out, focusing on the controllables as players and having that belief in every individual", he added.
"As I said, the combination looked really good for us in the last game. So yeah, thinking about this game, and I just wanted to be in the moment. (after a mega auction) It's tough, I mean, it is challenging after the mega auction to find the right balance, and obviously, players are going through injuries and are unavailable. Tonight, just one change for us. Varun Chakreavarthy is fit. He has come in place of Navdeep Saini", he concluded.
CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad named an unchanged XI.
"Yes, we would have bowled first as well. But as I said, the past few games here, the wicket hasn't changed much throughout the course of the game, so not much of a difference. Definitely putting in a big total on the scoreboard in the first innings would be challenging, as I said, but it looks like a really good surface. (on the last game), Yes, as I said, even in the post-match, I felt the bowling was really good, defending 210, you know, against a strong DC side. Give us a lot of confidence, and you know, even the fielding unit was charged up", he added.
"We saved a few runs, and that is how I think collectively we did really well. Really exciting today as well. We got a job to do, and everyone is feeling confident. (talking about the team balance) Yes, I think we are slowly getting it right. Brevis is coming back, and Jamie is giving those crucial overs in between as well. So I think we are slowly, slowly getting the right combination, and it is just about delivering every game and staying consistent. We are going with the same team", he concluded.
Why did KKR wear black armbands against CSK?
The Kolkata-based franchise was seen wearing black armbands to pay tribute to former India cricketer C.D. Gopinath, who was part of India's first-ever Test-winning side and one of the first few players to make an international debut for India.
He played eight Test matches for India from 1951 to 1960 and made significant contributions on debut, scoring 50 and 42 against England.
When the Indian cricket team was still in its early stages, he was part of the side that won its first Test against England way back in 1952, a huge moment in the country's history.
In domestic tournaments, he played a huge role for Madras, leading the team from the front. He had a brilliant career in first-class cricket, scoring 4259 runs in 60 matches and playing a huge role in helping Madras win their first Ranji Trophy title in 1954-55, during which he smashed a century in the summit clash.
Post-retirement, he also served as the national selector and the BCCI chairman for the 1979 series against England. He stayed close to the sport for four years and was respected for his proper understanding of the game.