He was ruled out of the IPL 2025 without a match appearance.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) pacer Gurjapneet Singh has claimed a stunning hat-trick in the ongoing Ranji Trophy 2025-26. The Tamil Nadu bowler achieved the feat on Day 2 of their second-round clash against Nagaland. This remarkable performance might push his chances for CSK retention ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. before the deadline on November 15.
A magnificent, unbeaten double-century (201*) from Pradosh Ranjan Paul and a sublime 189-run knock from Vimal Khumar had propelled Tamil Nadu to a mammoth 512/3d in the first innings. Following the commendable batting effort, the side also showcased its bowling brilliance in the subsequent innings so far.
The 26-year-old seamer bagged the hat-trick early on Day 2 to provide a huge edge to his team over Nagaland. He dismissed opener Sedezhalie Rupero, No.3 batter Hem Chetri and the skipper Rongsen Jonathan in the sixth over to claim the milestone. Later, the CSK pacer added another scalp to his tally after dismissing the opponent wicketkeeper-batter, Chetan Bist.
Earlier, two Services bowlers, Arjun Sharma and Mohit Jangra, also claimed two spectacular hat-tricks against Assam on the same day. However, Dega Nischal and Yugandhar Singh have scripted a valiant fightback for Nagaland with the crucial scores of 130* and 67, respectively. At the time of writing, they are trailing by 242 runs at lunch, with Nischal and Imliwati Lemtur (52*) at the crease.
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The five-time champions, CSK, had roped in the bowler for INR 2.2 crore in the IPL 2025 auction. But Gurjapneet did not get a chance to debut in the cash-rich league as an unfortunate injury ruled him out of the IPL 2025. The CSK management had brought in the South African youngster Dewald Brevis as his replacement for the remaining season.
However, as the IPL 2026 retention deadline approaches, the management would be keen to finalise their picks before heading towards the bidding hall. With a continued streak of impressive performances, Gurjapneet might seal a spot on the CSK retention list before the upcoming IPL 2026.
The player had a decent Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) season, with five scalps in seven matches at an impressive economy of 7.50. But Gurjapneet grabbed several eyeballs by snaring a total of 10 wickets in just two Duleep Trophy 2025 fixtures for the South Zone. Previously, he had also bagged a brilliant four-wicket haul in Tamil Nadu’s first round Ranji match against Jharkhand.
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