IPL 2026 | Match 66: GT vs CSK | Preview and Predictions

One team looking to lock in a top two finish moving into the Playoffs while the other one, one of the Indian Premier League’s (IPL) most successful teams, will look to round out their campaign with a win with the Playoffs hopes being dashed after their loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) last time around. As the Gujarat Titans get ready to host the Chennai Super Kings for their last league home game of the season, we take a look at how things are shaping up for both teams. 

Here is the preview and prediction for match 66 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 between the Gujarat Titans (GT) and the Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

Indian Premier League 2026 | Match 66: Gujarat Titans vs Chennai Super Kings | 19:30 IST, May 21st

Chennai Super Kings come into their final game of the IPL 2026 after a disappointing loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad in their final home game of the season and the loss has also all but knocked them out of the Playoffs. There is a slim chance for CSK but it’s a long shot and the team knows that the door to the Playoffs is more or less shut. The batting has been woeful for the five-time champions and if Sanju Samson hasn’t stuck around post the Powerplay, the team has barely won any games. Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad has just not gotten going this season and looked unable to keep up with the fast scoring likes of Samson, Urvil Patel and Kartik Sharma. In fact Patel’s explosive cameos and Kartik Sharma’s promising scores will be two of the biggest positives but Patel has failed to convert his starts and CSK will hope that he finishes the season with a big score while Kartik Sharma has given the team a solid Indian middle order batter around whom the finishers can see off the innings. Dewal Brevis and Shivam Dube have also had mixed seasons and haven’t provided the team big finishes and batting which has been unable to click as a unit will hope to at least round out the season with a big performance on a batting friendly wicket.

A late season injury to Jamie Overton added additional woes to CSK’s bowling plans  as injuries had already hampered the team. Mukesh Choudhary has been impressive with the new ball and the now-fit-again Spencer Johnson has returned to the team albeit being low on match practice, which shows on the field. Anshul Kamboj started the season with wickets in each game but in the last couple of games, Kamboj has been leaking runs while the wickets have dried up as well. Akeal Hosein and Noor Ahmad have been CSK’s top performers recently but Gaikwad’s usage or non-usage of Hosein is worrying given how economical and the regular breakthroughs the left-arm spinner provides. Gaikwad and the management have also underbowled Shivam Dube, who surprisingly has bowled more for India than for CSK this year. 

Gujarat Titans’ loss to Kolkata Knight Riders in their previous game saw their four-match winning streak come to a halt but it should be nothing more than a blip in the course of what looks like an incredibly well-paced campaign. Sunrisers Hyderabad’s win of the Chennai Super Kings on May 18, 2026 saw not only Sunrisers Hyderabad book their place in the Playoffs but it also confirmed Gujarat Titans a spot in the Playoffs and the Titans have a chance to finish in the top 2 should they finish with a win against CSK. The Gujarat Titans have been one of the most well-balanced teams with captain Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler once again doing the heavy lifting with the bat. The middle of Gujarat Titans hasn’t really clicked this season with Washington Sundar, Jason Holder and Rahul Tewatia getting the odd score here and there but if there is one aspect they would like to fix before the Playoffs it will be making sure the middle order gets some runs and form heading into the knockout stage. 

The bowling for Gujarat Titans has been carried by their incredible opening bowling attack of Kagiso Rabada and Mohammed Siraj, both of whom have regularly provided their breakthroughs and been economical at the top. Jason Holder has been a strong support act to the new ball bowlers while Rashid Khan continues to be the lead spinner for the team. The fielding was a bit of an issue in their previous game at the Eden Gardens and Gill will expect his fielders to pull up their socks, especially now that they are in the most important stage of the tournament. 

The Ahmedabad ground has generally been a high-scoring ground but deep into the tournament and having seen lots of matches being played on it means that the strip has slowed down a bit, as we have seen in the last couple of games. There is some purchase for the quick bowlers at the top with the new ball while the slower bowlers will be key in the middle overs with their variations. The Narendra Modi Stadium has generally been a fortress for Gujarat Titans given their incredible record and expect the more well-balanced team and the in-form team to round out the league campaign with a win.

Fantasy XI: Shubman Gill ©, Sanju Samson (wk), Jos Buttler, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Jason Holder, Washington Sundar, Rashid Khan, Mohammed Siraj, Kagiso Rabada (vc), Mukesh Choudhary

Venue: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad

Winners Prediction: Gujarat Titans