Delhi Capitals vs Chennai Super Kings, 48th Match, Indian Premier League 2026 - CommentaryDC vs CSK, 48th Match, Indian Premier League 2026 - Commentary

CSK are getting closer to that top-4 spot. On the other hand, DC have left themselves into a must-win situation. The IPL moves to Hyderabad as two powerful batting line-ups go head-to-head. It's SRH v PBKS and we'll be there for all the action. For now, cheers and bye..

Sanju Samson | Player of the Match: (the crowd are calling you Chetta, do you like that?) "Yeah, they are calling me Chetta, but I like Sanju more. (so much time to play your shots) Yeah, I think we try to find out what works really well for you and you try to stick to the basics and you trust your hands to do the job in this format. So I think I have been trying to do that from last two-three months. I have been working a bit on my initial movement a bit and it has been coming off nicely. (on his trigger movements at the crease) Yeah, I have been doing it from last three to five years. So I think comfort definitely plays a huge role in your mindset and [I think] the confidence which you have to go and bat in. And then definitely it's a tactical move as well. So according to the bowlers and the wicket, I try to move around a bit. (calmness about you) To be very honest, I am always like this. The biggest change is you are seeing me more in the middle now, so I think that's why people are saying he's very calm. Even [when] I am sitting out, I am just very calm actually. So when I am batting, 'thoda zyaada ho raha hai, toh sab dekh raha hain ki, haan yaar, ye thoda zyaada calm hai' [there is a little more happening, so everyone is watching that yes, this guy is a little more calm]. (on his knock) Honestly sir, I think looking at what we were chasing and how the wicket was behaving, I felt that even if we have like 30-35 runs for no loss or one wicket, we could easily, like knowing what I can do against the spin and in the middle-overs also, I know my gameplan pretty well. So I thought even if I take some extra time in the powerplay, with the type of shots which I have, I think I can capitalise in the middle-overs. So that was the plan and sometimes it comes off nicely. So today, it came off. Very happy. (this knock better than a 100?) No. Hundreds are always special, sir. I think so. (no desire to get to the 100 today?) Yeah, it was, but I was like I had to be a bit too selfish to get that. So I thought let's win the game and the other partner was batting really well. So I didn't want to tell him, 'ek single dey de yaar, mai sau bana tha hoon' [take a single, I will get my 100]. So I didn't say that. So I think really enjoyed, I think coming not out, finishing off the game gives you a better satisfaction. So I just enjoyed it and few more games to go. Let's see if I get those three figures once again. (the longer he bats, the longer he is calm?) Yes sir, yes sir."

Ruturaj Gaikwad | CSK captain: (everything coming along nicely) "No, I think even initially after the second and third game, the talk was about, even Flem (Fleming) and myself, we were always positive. We thought that we were closer than what we thought than or what we were last year. I think we pretty much covered all the bases, what we had, Sanju coming in and then we had great middle-order as well. Our bowling was going good as well. So we just needed that couple of wins and then to get that momentum, you need that in T20 cricket. So I think after that, after the third game, we got those couple of wins and then, everyone just started to gel together. (good to see different players stepping up) Yes, definitely. On the batting side, I would say, I mean, more than grateful to have Sanju in the side after the tournament he had even in the World Cup and even now. So obviously he's backbone now, but bowling is something which, which wins you tournaments. And, you obviously, to have Akeal and Jamie do that job where, you know, everyone is going for, more than 10s or 12s. They're just coming in silently and doing the job. It gives you a lot of confidence. And then, you know, Anshul Kamboj is there as well, who's, obviously a smart bowler and knows what his strength. Yes, he had an off day today, but I feel it's someone who's already upset about it and eager to come back. (him and Sanju both similar, do you plan?) Nothing actually, it is, we don't really plan, we just kind of, let to know each other that what the wicket is exactly happening and, how we can assess and how we can move forward. That's the only talk. After that it is more about, how the over is going and how the match is progressing. So the talk is very less, more often than not, you rely on yourself to do the job. So definitely he's doing the job for me, so I'm really happy. (on Kartik Sharma) Well, I think the skill set was already there. I feel there's no development as such. But the skill set which he's showing in the last couple of games, it was already there. Just that he needed that, couple of games to start with. He didn't get that momentum and we were chasing high targets as well. So I think he didn't get the time. Last game he got some time, played a, 10-15 balls and after that he got into it. So we all knew what skill set he had. As I said, last game as well, he's not someone who's a wild slogger. He can rotate strike well. He can, hit the pockets really well. So he's someone who can play all around the game. So good to get that confidence going for him."

Kartik Sharma (translated from Hindi): (on his stand with Sanju) Yes, sir, it was fun. We had a good partnership for a long time. (on the pitch) Yes, sir, it was helping the spinners, stopping the ball and turning a lot. I knew it was not a big score, and we can take our time, which we did. (what did Sanju tell him?) Bhaiya said that it was a slow wicket, and told me to do what comes to me, which I did. (did you target any bowler?) No, no, sir, there was no such target. Just play in a good range and hit the ball. Play the ball, that's all.

Highest aggregate for a player vs an opponent in an IPL edition (league stage)
209 - Virat Kohli vs GL in 2016 (100* & 109)
206 - KL Rahul vs MI in 2022 (103* & 103*)
202 - Sanju Samson vs DC in 2026 (115* & 87*)
196 - Chris Gayle vs PWI in 2013 (175* & 21)
193 - KL Rahul vs RCB in 2020 (132* & 61*)

T Natarajan in IPL 2026: 5/356 in 31.5 overs.
His ER of 11.29 is the second-worst among the 31 bowlers to have bowled at least 25 overs in the tournament.

Sanju Samson in IPL 2026
In wins: 5 inns, 362 runs, Avg: 181, SR: 178.32
In defeats: 5 innings, 40 runs, Avg: 8, SR: 108.1

The 114*-run stand between Samson and Kartik Sharma is the second-highest for CSK vs DC (for any wicket), only behind the 141-run opening stand between Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway at this venue in 2023. Samson’s 113-run partnership with Ayush Mhatre in the reverse fixture at Chepauk is third on this list.

Kuldeep Yadav in IPL 2026
Overs: 30
Wickets: 7
Avg: 44.42
SR: 25.7
ER: 10.36

Of the 19 spinners to have bowled at least 10 overs in IPL 2026, only he has gone at over 10 RPO. He has conceded 24 sixes, the most by a bowler, followed by 21 by Nandre Burger.

DC in the IPL since 2025
At AJS, Delhi: 10 matches, 2 wins, 8 defeats
Other venues: 14 matches, 9 wins, 4 defeats, 1 NR
One of those two wins in Delhi came in a Super Over (vs RR last year)

Axar Patel | DC captain (translated from Hindi): (thoughts on the score) Obviously, the way the wicket was playing in the first innings, I felt that yes, 155 was a good score. But since we were playing with eight batters, I felt we were about 10-15 runs short. (on the pitch) I feel it got a little better, but I think the difference was made by the set batter. When a batter is well set, it feels like there is nothing in the pitch, but I still feel there was something in it. For a new batter coming in, it was not easy. Yes, it wasn’t easy for new players because, you know, the length balls were holding up, sometimes staying low, and occasionally even bouncing after holding. So I feel it was very difficult for new batters. But when set batters were playing, it looked easier. You could see the way Sanju took the game forward. (about their batting) Yes, obviously, considering our batting, I think that’s a positive. Even after losing five wickets, the way we finished at the end was good. So yes, that is a positive. But I feel in bowling, I missed my partner Kuldeep. (on their remaining matches) Yes, obviously, we cannot afford any mistakes now. So we have to go in with a clear mindset that whatever time or chances we get, we must win.

22:59 Local Time, 17:29 GMT, 22:59 IST: A convincing win and CSK continue to move up the table. They're still placed 6th, but they've gone up to double digits - they've 10 points and are just 2 points behind 2nd placed RCB, who though have a game on hand. The bowlers set up this win - was it a good toss to lose? Axar wanted to bat first, hoping the wicket would slow down in the 2nd innings, but that didn't happen and Sanju Samson secured another win for CSK. He lost his captain early. Urvil dispatched Lungi Ngidi for a couple of sixes before being stumped off Axar. The two wickets gave DC some hope, but Samson doused it all with an innings of high quality. Since the target was not too high, it allowed Kartik Sharma time to settle and then both joined forces to put the bowling under pressure. Axar was decent, as was Ngidi, but the rest were sent on a leather-hunt. Are CSK peaking at the right time? They'd certainly hope so, for DC, it's another bitter pill to swallow.

They've taken the strategic break with the game all but wrapped up by CSK