IPL 2026: GT vs CSK Match 66 – Who will be Impact Players for today’s match?

The Gujarat Titans (GT) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) play their final league game of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) when they face each other at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Match 66 on Thursday, May 21. 

GT have already booked their place in the playoffs, and a win against the Super Kings would see them boost their chances of finishing inside the top two. Shubman Gill’s side are currently second in the standings, with 16 points from 13 matches. 

CSK, on the other hand, need to beat GT in Ahmedabad and hope for other results to go their way to have a chance of finishing fourth. Their chances of qualifying for the playoffs have taken a huge dent after back-to-back defeats against Lucknow Super Giants and Sunrisers Hyderabad. 

GT and CSK each used a batter and a bowler as their Impact Sub in their previous games, respectively. The Titans called in Rahul Tewatia towards the end of their unsuccessful run chase against the Kolkata Knight Riders, while CSK opted for Mukesh Choudhary, who took two wickets against SRH.

Predicted Impact Players for Gujarat Titans (GT):

Rahul Tewatia: GT’s designated Impact Player whilst chasing a total, Rahul Tewatia has not enjoyed the best of seasons, scoring 98 runs from 12 matches at a strike-rate of 132.43.

Sai Kishore: A spin-bowling option, Sai Kishore has played just two matches for GT this season, taking a solitary wicket. 

Shahrukh Khan: A hard-hitting lower-order batter, Shahrukh Khan has played nine matches this season but averages a mere 10.75.

Glenn Phillips: Glenn Phillips lost his place to Jason Holder in the playing XI midway through the series, but his excellent fielding prowess earns him a spot amongst the substitutes. 

Kumar Kushagra: A highly-regarded batter from Jharkhand, Kumar Kushagra has played just one game all season long but strikes at 145.18 in his T20 career. 

Predicted Impact Players for Chennai Super Kings (CSK):

Kartik Sharma: Kartik Sharma has had a decent debut season with CSK, scoring 276 runs from 10 matches at a strike-rate of 137.31. 

Sarfaraz Khan: Sarfaraz Khan was part of the CSK setup earlier in the season but has not featured regularly for a while. He has played just eight matches in 2026.

Akash Madhwal: A fast-bowling option, Akash Madhwal came in as an injury replacement but has not made an appearance this season. 

Gurjapneet Singh: Yet another bowling option, Gurjapneet Singh has made seven appearances for CSK this season, taking four wickets. 

Matthew Short: Australian international Matthew Short was seen in CSK colours just twice this season, having scored 36 runs in total. 

Expert Opinion and Final Prediction

• Home Advantage: Out of the six matches played in Ahmedabad this season, GT have won four of those. 
• Recent Form: CSK have a 3-2 win record against GT in their last five meetings in the IPL, but the Titans’ recent form is better than the visitors. 
• Balanced Side: GT have a much more balanced side compared to the five-time champions. 
• Prediction: With these factors in their favour, expect a close game with the Gujarat Titans securing the win.