Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have made a stunning turnaround in the ongoing Indian Premier League 2026 (IPL 2026) thanks to their spin duo of Noor Ahmad and Akeal Hosein. CSK won consecutive matches to jump to eighth place in the IPL 2026 points table after losing three games in a row.
On Tuesday, April 14, Chennai Super Kings crushed Kolkata Knight Riders by 32 runs after crushing Delhi Capitals by 23 runs in their previous game, both at home – the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
Noor Ahmad shines
For the CSK vs KKR clash, Chepauk’s delivery was slow, the ball was not coming well and Noor Ahmad and Akeal Hosein used it smartly. Before this clash, Noor was struggling on flat pitches but clicked at the right time against the three-time champions.
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The left-arm spinner changed the match completely by taking three wickets for 21 runs in his four overs, breaking KKR’s confidence by removing Ajinkya Rahane, Rinku Singh and Cameron Green. From the other end, Akeal Hosein kept things very tight.
The left-arm spinner continued to generate pressure with his spell of 1 for 26. In the last two games, Noor scalped four wickets after his wicketless performance in his first three outings against Rajasthan Royals, Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
However, Akeal hasn’t taken many wickets but has been economical for CSK in their two matches so far in the tournament.
MS Dhoni’s advice sparks Noor Ahmad’s return in IPL 2026!
After crushing struggling KKR, CSK assistant bowling coach Sridharan Sriram has revealed the story behind Noor Ahmad’s comeback. He revealed that the legendary MS Dhoni had spent time with the Afghan spinner in practice, helping him fine-tune his bowling.
Sridharan Sriram said at the post-match presentation in Chennai: “MS Dhoni had a long talk with Noor Ahmad in one of the practice sessions, to get his leg broken, so I think it was a big help for him and the results were there to show.
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Akeal Hosein guides Noor Ahmad to find the perfect length, reveals Sridharan Sriram
And even during the match, Akeal guided Noor Ahmad on the proper length to bowl on this slow pitch, and his guidance helped the young spinner make a strong impact against KKR.
Sriram added: “Akeal was the one who went and told Noor about the exact length, the intermediate length that he needed to bowl. In the first over, it was a bit short or full, but once he found out that the intermediate length, I think Noor was relatively unplayable.
We also have to thank Akeal because I was part of that conversation in the timeout in which Akeal was telling Noor that in the interval between lengths the ball held enough and hitting the ground was not that easy.”
Now, CSK must hope to continue their momentum in the ongoing IPL 2026, where they will take on Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on April 18 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.