Kamal Ghorui
Chennai Super Kings skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad found himself in the record books for the wrong reasons after registering the slowest fifty of IPL 2026 during a tough outing against Gujarat Titans at Chepauk. Gaikwad’s half-century came off 49 balls, making it not only the slowest fifty of the current season but also the slowest in the Impact Sub era since 2023. The previous slowest this season was a 43-ball effort by Rishabh Pant against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Hyderabad.Slowest IPL 50s for CSK in IPL53 P Patel vs PBKS Chennai 201051 M Hayden vs MI Gqeberha 200950 M Vijay vs PBKS Mohali 201349 M Vijay vs RR Jaipur 201349 D Smith vs MI Wankhede 201449 R Gaikwad vs GT Chennai 2026 The knock also places Gaikwad among the slowest fifties in CSK history, alongside names like Parthiv Patel, Matthew Hayden and Murali Vijay. While the innings of 74 not out off 60 balls helped CSK reach 158 for 7, it reflected the broader struggles of the batting unit on the day. On a lively Chepauk surface that offered sharp bounce, Gujarat Titans bowlers dictated terms early. Mohammed Siraj and Kagiso Rabada extracted steep carry and forced errors, reducing CSK to 28 for 3 in the Powerplay. The early collapse put Gaikwad into a rebuilding role, slowing down the scoring rate significantly. As wickets kept falling, Gaikwad adopted a cautious approach, with dot balls piling up and CSK reaching 50 only in the 12th over. Though he eventually found some fluency with a few late boundaries and sixes, the delayed acceleration meant the innings never gained momentum. In a season dominated by high-scoring encounters, this knock stood out as a reminder that conditions still dictate the tempo, and on this occasion, CSK failed to adapt in time.
