Rachin Ravindra started with a bang and Shivam Dube finished with a flourish as Chennai Super Kings posted a commendable 206 for 5 against Gujarat Titans in an IPL match here on Tuesday.
Rachin made full use of the Powerplay, racing to 46 off 20 balls while Dube, a nightmare for spinners, then used his long levers to whack 51 in only 23 deliveries to increase the challenge of GT batters by manifold. Dube’s innings had as many as five sixes.
In between, skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad’s chiselled 46 off 36 balls also was a significant contribution in another impactful batting performance by the team on a hard bouncy track that was on offer.
Not to forget CSK’s Rs 7.60 crore recruit Sameer Rizvi (14 off 6 balls), who pummelled Rashid Khan (2/49 in 4 overs) for two sixes to mark a memorable IPL debut.
Rachin, who has already become a darling of the CSK fans, enthralled all and sundry with his audacious stroke-play. While he missed out again on a half-century but team’s ‘spiritual skipper’ Mahendra Singh Dhoni would be all smiles knowing that his choice was perfect to the T.
The three sixes — a flick behind the square and one over long-on off the normally profligate Umesh Yadav and one off Azmatullah Omarzai were hit with so much disdain that it did put Gujarat Titans in a spot.
There were some crunchy cover drives as well as Ravindra let his skipper Gaikwad breathe a little easy at the other end.
Finally, it was GT’s ‘Go-To’ bowler Rashid, who drew the first blood but more because of smart work from Wriddhiman Saha, who removed the bails in a flash after the Black Caps opener lost his balance and moved out of his crease trying to whip the delivery.
Saha’s next stumping was way easier as Sai Kishore shortened the length and drew Ajinkya Rahane out of his crease for an indiscreet loft. The ball deviated enough and the keeper completed mere formality.
Gaikwad wasn’t as fluent as Rachin to begin with but in his five boundaries and a six, he oozed class before becoming Saha’s third victim with the gloves, trying to pull Spencer Johnson, only to end up edging one behind the stumps.
After that it was Dube, who just plonked his front-foot and bludgeoned Sai Kishore for two monstrous sixes and also sent Johnson’s delivery soaring for a maximum.
Dube had the composed Daryl Mitchell for company, who also chipped in with an unbeaten 20-ball 24 in a stand of 57 runs for the fourth wicket in 5.5 overs.
