You can win, but there are also some nights that stay with you. One of those was Chennai Super Kings’ 103-run win over arch-rivals Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Wankhede Stadium. It wasn’t just about Sanju Samson’s hundred or the spin choke in the second innings. It was about Mukesh Choudhary turning up, bowling his spell, and holding himself together after losing his mother just days earlier.
You can’t really step into Mukesh’s shoes right now. He missed the majority of the domestic season due to an injury before getting benched for multiple games in CSK’s team at IPL 2026. But when he finally got his chance and played a game, the left-arm pacer lost his mother due to a prolonged disease. Everyone thought that he would miss the MI vs CSK match. But he didn’t and delivered the team something emphatic.
‘Hats off to him’: Gaikwad on Mukesh’s courage
Ruturaj Gaikwad, whose form has been one of the biggest question marks for CSK, didn’t try to dress it up. He spoke straight, and you could sense what it meant to the dressing room. After captaining CSK to their biggest-ever IPL win, Gaikwad said,
“Pretty tough on him. Hats off to him, coming in that situation, it takes a lot mentally. He came back for the team, for the franchise, because he knew we needed him. All glory to him. We all wanted to be there for him and chipped away for him. Pretty tough on him (Mukesh Choudhary), I would dedicate this win to him. All glory to him. Everyone chipped in and wanted to be there for him.”
Mukesh channels inner strength for CSK
As per reports, Mukesh Choudhary had travelled back home after the SRH game to be with his family on Saturday. He returned to the squad just before the MI clash, not because everything was fine, but because he felt he needed to be there.
When he took the new ball, it didn’t look like someone easing into a game. Four tight deliveries to Quinton de Kock, then one that jagged back in and hit the stumps. Wicket. Just like that. The celebration was immensely emotional, however,. He ran, paused, looked up, and you could see him fighting back tears. It wasn’t just a wicket. It was a release.
CSK, meanwhile, made sure he wasn’t alone in that moment. All the players sported black armbands for a quiet tribute, and a team that clearly understood the emotional baggage he must have been carrying. His final figures of 1 for 31 in four overs won’t jump out on paper. But he really played his part. MI were pushed back early, and from there, the game only moved one way.
Cricket
Ruturaj Gaikwad dedicates CSK's win to Mukesh Choudhary after emotional night at Wankhede
