Jos Buttler with Yuzvendra Chahal (Image: ANI)

Punjab Kings spinner Yuzvendra Chahal and Gujarat Titans star Jos Buttler shared a light-hearted moment ahead of their IPL 2026 clash in Mullanpur, rekindling memories from their time together at Rajasthan Royals. The duo, who went their separate ways after the 2025 mega auction, with Chahal joining PBKS for Rs 18 crore and Buttler moving to GT for Rs 15.75 crore, engaged in a playful exchange that quickly caught attention.In a video shared by PBKS, Chahal cheekily claimed that he once took on Buttler with the bat and smashed 20 runs in a single over. Buttler, however, was quick to fire back with a witty response. “Two years back, I smashed Jos Buttler – one over, 20 runs,” he said. Buttler quickly responded – “(You) Can’t get (the ball) outside the 30-yard circle.”

Punjab Kings set to face Gujarat Titans

Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer, two India T20I batters who have often been left out, will lead Gujarat Titans and Punjab Kings respectively in their IPL opener on Tuesday, with both looking to make an impact. The 4th match of IPL will be played in the Mullanpur Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh. The pitch could offer some early assistance to pacers, making the powerplay a key phase. Dew is also expected to come into play later in the game, particularly in the second innings. The weather forecast for the PBKS vs GT clash looks perfect for an uninterrupted game in IPL 2026. No rain is expected in Chandigarh, with temperatures hovering around 28°C, ensuring pleasant conditions for both players and spectators. Punjab Kings and Gujarat Titans have faced each other six times in IPL history, with both sides giving tough competition to each other, as the head-to-head record is tied with PBKS winning three encounters, and GT also came victorious on three occasions. Both the teams aim for a commanding start in the tournament while PBKS will also look to improve their record at home, having won only two of five matches in New Chandigarh last season despite reaching the final.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) remain one of the most successful franchises in IPL history, sharing the record of five titles with Mumbai Indians and boasting 10 final appearances. Their dominance in a fiercely competitive league reflects not just on-field excellence but also a well-structured system built over the years. A major factor behind their sustained success has been the stability provided by the ownership group, which has consistently backed players and maintained a balanced squad.CSK’s philosophy has always revolved around trust and continuity. Unlike many franchises, they have prioritized retaining a strong core group even after auctions, showing long-term faith in their players, support staff, and team environment. This approach has also contributed to nurturing players who go on to perform at the international level.They have shown remarkable consistency not just on the field but also off it, with Stephen Fleming serving as their head coach since 2009. His long-term guidance has been key in building a stable, experienced team, helping CSK maintain a winning culture and remain one of the most dominant IPL franchises.Former India cricketer Abhinav Mukund highlighted another unique aspect of CSK’s culture, their strong backing of players beyond the field. He revealed that the franchise has a long-standing tradition of doubling the prize money offered by the BCCI, regardless of the team’s result, a gesture that reflects their commitment to player welfare. “I think the credit should also go to the management. That time, they clearly told us that whatever prize money BCCI is offering you, whether we are losing or winning, we will double it. And this is a tradition of Chennai from day one. Ask any clear Chennai player, they will say ‘this is a tradition that they have followed’, so at that point it felt like a huge thing,” Mukund said on Doordarshan Sports.

CSK’s unforgettable start in IPL 2026

In their IPL 2026 opener on March 30, the Rajasthan Royals (RR) secured a crushing 8-wicket victory over the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Guwahati. After RR’s pace attack, led by Nandre Burger (2/26) and Jofra Archer (2/19), dismantled the CSK lineup for a meager 127, 15-year-old sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi stole the show by smashing the season’s fastest fifty in just 15 balls. Rajasthan chased down the target in a mere 12.1 overs, finishing at 128/2 to hand CSK a heavy defeat in a match that also featured Sanju Samson’s quiet debut for Chennai and Ravindra Jadeja’s successful two-wicket return to the Royals.

Punjab Kings: Shreyas Iyer (c), Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh (wicketkeeper), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Harpreet Brar, Suryansh Shedge, Vishnu Vinod (wicketkeeper), Xavier Bartlett, Yash Thakur, Mitchell Owen, Harnoor Singh, Musheer Khan, Pyla Avinash, Marco Jansen, Lockie Ferguson, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Pravin Dubey, Vishal Nishad

Gujarat Titans: Shubman Gill (c), Jos Buttler (wicketkeeper), Kumar Kushagra, Glenn Phillips, Rashid Khan, Manav Suthar, Nishant Sindhu, Washington Sundar, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Kagiso Rabada, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Jayant Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Ashok Sharma, Jason Holder, Tom Banton, Luke Wood, Sai Sudharsan, Rahul Tewatia, Arshad Khan, Anuj Rawat, Kulwant Khejroliya, Gurnoor Brar, M Shahrukh Khan

Predicted Playing XI with Impact subs

Punjab Kings: Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Priyansh Arya, Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (c), Marcus Stoinis, Shashank Singh, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harpreet Brar, Marco Jansen, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal. Impact Player: Nehal Wadhera

Gujarat Titans: Shubman Gill (c), Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler (wk), Glenn Phillips, Washington Sundar, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, R Sai Kishore, Jason Holder, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna. Impact Player: Kagiso Rabada

Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill (Image credit: BCCI/IPL)

NEW DELHI: Two captains – Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer – will be eyeing their first points of IPL 2026 when Gujarat Titans take on Punjab Kings in Mullanpur on Tuesday.For Gill, India’s Test and ODI skipper, the season presents a big opportunity to reassert his place in T20 cricket. Despite being named T20I vice-captain at one stage, a dip in form saw him miss out on the T20 World Cup squad – a tournament India eventually went on to win. As a result, the spotlight will firmly be on how he adapts his game to the evolving demands of T20 batting.For Iyer, the aim will be to put the disappointment of the 2025 final behind him. After leading Kolkata Knight Riders to the title in 2024, he was released ahead of the IPL 2025 mega-auction despite that success.He was then bought by Punjab Kings for a whopping Rs 26.75 crore.