With five matches to go in the league stage and just one spot in the IPL 2026 Playoffs up for grabs, it’s now or never for many teams. In one such game, Chennai Super Kings take on Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad in Match 66. A loss will knock CSK out of the playoff race, while a win will help GT seal a Top-2 finish. With everything to play for at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, who will win the match? Gujarat will be the clear favourites, having dominated Chennai in their last match of IPL 2026. But is there hope for Chennai?
Before predicting the winner of the GT vs CSK match, there are several factors to consider: squad, form, pitch, conditions, toss, and playing XIs.
IPL 2026: GT vs CSK Match Details
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Match | Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings, Match 66 |
| Date | Thursday, May 21, 2026 |
| Timing | 7:30 pm (IST) |
| Toss Time | 7:00 pm (IST) |
| Venue | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad |
| Captains | Shubman Gill (GT) and Ruturaj Gaikwad (CSK) |
| Live Telecast | Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 HD, Star Sports 1 Hindi |
| Live Streaming | JioHotstar app and website |
GT vs CSK: Head-to-head record
| Criterion | Stats |
|---|---|
| Played | 9 |
| Gujarat Titans won | 5 |
| Chennai Super Kings won | 4 |
GT vs CSK Pitch Report
The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad has offered some great pitches in IPL 2026, with 210 being the highest total this season. However, in the last three matches, it has not been the case. The venue has used sluggish surfaces, with the average first innings total dipping to 163. There is trouble in chasing too as the pitch gets slower. In the last four games, the average second innings total has been just 128, including Mumbai Indians’ 100 and Sunrisers Hyderabad’s 86.
Average 1st innings score in IPL 2026: 179
Toss Factor: Batting first at this venue has more benefits than chasing. Overall, 53% of the teams batting first have won, even though 73% of the captains opt to chase at Narendra Modi Stadium.
GT vs CSK Predicted Playing XIs
Gujarat Titans
Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan will play key roles. Gill and Sudharsan average 55.2 and 51.6 at this venue, respectively. As for bowling, Kagiso Rabada, Rashid Khan and Prasidh Krishna would be key. Prasidh is likely to play this match in place of Sai Kishore.
Shubman Gill (C), B Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler (WK), Jason Holder, Washington Sundar, Nishant Sindhu, Rashid Khan, Arshad Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj.
Impact Player: Rahul Tewatia/ Sai Kishore
Chennai Super Kings
CSK will have to bank on Sanju Samson. The Kerala star smashed a match-winning 89 at this venue in the T20 World Cup final. However, in IPL he hasn’t found success at this venue. If the pitch is sluggish, Ruturaj Gaikwad could play a crucial role. In bowling, Noor Ahmad would like to exploit the conditions, along with Akeal Hosein and Anshul Kamboj.
Sanju Samson (WK), Ruturaj Gaikwad (C), Urvil Patel, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Prashant Veer, Akeal Hosein, Anshul Kamboj, Spencer Johnson, Noor Ahmad, Mukesh Choudhary.
Impact Player: Kartik Sharma
GT vs CSK: Key matchups to watch out
Sanju Samson vs Kagiso Rabada
One of the key battles to watch out for in the upcoming game is the one between Sanju Samson and GT’s lead pacer Kagiso Rabada. While Samson has been CSK’s top run-getter this season, amassing 477 runs at a strike rate of 166.20, Rabada has been GT’s lethal weapon. The Protean has picked up 21 wickets in 13 matches so far. Rabada will look to exploit Samson’s weakness against express pace. Overall in IPL, Samson averages just 12.3 against Rabada, having been dismissed 3 times.
Shubman Gill vs Mukesh Choudhary
Another battle on cards is set to be between Shubman Gill and Mukesh Choudhary. The GT captain will be looking to add runs to his tally of 552 runs in 12 innings, he will be up against Mukesh Choudhary, who is leading CSK’s pace attack after injuries to their key pacers in Jamie Overton and Khaleel Ahmed. Known for bowling sharp in-swingers, Choudhary could pose a threat to Gill and will look to get him early in the innings.
GT vs CSK Match Prediction: Who will win?
Gujarat Titans walk into this game with an edge over Chennai Super Kings, considering their head-to-head record, which stands 5-4 in favour of Gujarat. GT have the best bowling attack, while CSK’s batters haven’t had the consistency the entire season. CSK’s bowling also lacks teeth that Gill and Sudharsan could exploit.
Prediction: Gujarat Titans to win IPL 2026 Match 66.
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