Chennai Super Kings captain Ruturaj Gaikwad dedicated his team’s emphatic IPL 2026 win over Mumbai Indians to Mukesh Choudhary, who showed immense courage by returning to action just days after the passing of his mother, Prema Devi. It was an emotional night at the Wankhede Stadium, with CSK not just playing for points, but for one of their own.
Choudhary delivered a disciplined performance with the new ball, making an early impact in MI’s chase of 208. He struck in his very first over, removing Quinton de Kock for 7 and setting the tone for CSK’s dominance. The left-arm pacer bowled three overs in the Powerplay, conceding just 15 runs, and finished with figures of 1/31. His effort played a crucial role in keeping Mumbai’s top order under pressure.
Speaking after the match, Gaikwad acknowledged Choudhary’s resilience and mental strength. “Yes, pretty tough on him (Choudhary), I would definitely like to dedicate this win to him,” Ruturaj Gaikwad said. “Hats off to him, coming in from that sad situation, it takes a lot of effort mentally, and I think he came back for the team, came back for the franchise.
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“He knew that we needed him, so definitely, all glory to him.” Ruturaj Gaikwad also revealed that the team had discussed the situation before the game. “We spoke before going into the bowling that we want to win this game for him. I’m glad that everyone chipped in and wanted to just be there for him.”
CSK players wore black armbands as a mark of respect, standing in solidarity with their teammate. Choudhary had travelled to Bhilwara, Rajasthan, after the previous match to perform the last rites before rejoining the squad.
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On the field, CSK dominated proceedings. Sanju Samson’s second century of the season powered them to 207, while MI collapsed under pressure despite a brief fightback from Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma, sealing a memorable win for Chennai.
