'He reads variations well, even picking the googly early, which makes it difficult for bowlers to contain him in the middle overs.'
Key Points
- Kartik Sharma played a pivotal role with an unbeaten 41 as CSK beat Delhi Capitals by eight wickets.
- A 114-run stand with Sanju Samson helped CSK chase 156 comfortably.
- Irfan Pathan highlighted Kartik’s strong ability against spin and his growing confidence.
Former India cricketer Irfan Pathan has praised young Chennai Super Kings batter Kartik Sharma for his strong performance against spin bowling. The 20-year-old played a key role in CSK’s eight-wicket win over Delhi Capitals in their Indian Premier League 2026 match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday, May 5, 2026.
Chasing 156, Kartik scored an unbeaten 41 off 31 balls and shared a 114-run partnership with Sanju Samson, who remained not out on 87 off 52 balls. Kartik’s calm innings allowed Samson to play freely as CSK reached the target in 17.3 overs.
In his 41-run knock, Kartik scored 26 runs off the pacers and 17 runs off the spinners.
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Pathan Praises Young Batter’s Prowess Against Spin
Pathan said Kartik’s ability to read spin, including the googly, and his strong off-side play make him difficult to bowl to in the middle overs. He also noted that the youngster, who was acquired for a whopping Rs 14.20 crores (Rs 142 million) at the IPL 2026 auction, is confident against both pace and spin, which will help him grow as a batter.
"What really stands out in Kartik Sharma's batting is his ability to dominate the off-side, especially against spin. He reads variations well, even picking the googly early, which makes it difficult for bowlers to contain him in the middle overs," Pathan said on JioHotstar.
"He's shown that he can take on both spin and pace, and the confidence from his previous performances is clearly carrying through. Those shots over cover, particularly against quality spinners, show the kind of range he has, and that can have a big impact on his growth as a batter going forward," he added.
Earlier, DC struggled after choosing to bat first and were reduced to 69 for 5. A 65-run stand between Tristan Stubbs (38) and Sameer Rizvi (40 not out) helped them post 155 for 7. CSK bowlers, including Akeal Hosein and Noor Ahmad, kept the pressure on.
With this win, CSK moved to sixth place with 10 points, while DC slipped to seventh with eight points from 10 matches.
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