Gujarat Titans beat Chennai Super Kings by 8 wickets
Opening batter Sai Sudharsan struck 87 to help Gujarat Titans beat Chennai Super Kings by eight wickets in their IPL match on Sunday.
Sudharsan, who hit four boundaries and seven sixes from 46 balls, first stitched 58 runs with captain Shubman Gill (33) for the opening wicket and then shared another 97 runs with Jos Buttler (39 not out) for the second wicket as CSK chased down the target of 159 with 20 balls to spare.
For CSK, Noor Ahmad and Akeal Hosein took a wicket apiece as GT reached 162 for 2 in 16.4 overs.
Earlier, captain Ruturaj Gaikwad made 74 not out to guide CSK to 158 for 7 after a sluggish start.
Gaikwad faced 60 balls and hit six fours and four sixes to top-score for CSK, who were asked to bat first. Jamie Overton then played a little cameo of six-ball 18 as CSK went past the 150-run mark. For GT, pacer Kagiso Rabada was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3/25 while Arshad Khan took two wickets.
Gujarat Titans comprehensive win over Chennai Super Kings in their IPL game on Sunday but captain Shubman Gill admitted that “finishing an innings” has been a problem and his side will need to improve on that aspect of the game going ahead. GT beat CSK by eight wickets, overhauling the target of 159 with 20 balls to spare. Opening batter Sai Sudharsan hit 87 off 46 balls while Gill and Jos Buttler chipped in with 33 and 39 not out respectively.
“Very happy to get a win like that in this part of India. Apart from the last four or five overs, it was a complete performance,” Gill said at the post-match presentation.
“If I have to be critical, finishing an innings has been a problem. We need to do better in that.”
Gill said he was a little confused whether to bowl or bat when he won the toss. Eventually, he asked CSK to bat first, which turned out to be the right decision, as GT restricted the home side to 158 for 7.
Kagiso Rabada was the pick of the GT bowlers with fine figures of 3/25, for which he was named Player of the Match. “But we bowled well in the powerplay.”
On star leg-spinner Rashid Khan being given just one over, Gill said, “There was confusion in the middle. When Dube came in, I thought should we bowl Washy (Washington Sundar), but the game was in our hand. He (Manav Suthar) bowled a decent last over, gave 12 or 13. Pretty good effort from us.”
Gill also praised Sudharsan for his brilliant batting.
“It (form) was always with him. It was all about spending the time at the crease.”
Sudharsan, who hails from Chennai, said he got confidence from the last knock (100 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru).
“I just wanted to take the confidence from the last innings to this innings. I felt the pitch slightly got better but first six overs, it was tough. Shubi (Shubman Gill) played an extraordinary cameo.
“When I am hitting the ball well, then I play late,” he said, adding that he will go to his favourite tea shop and have ‘bun maska and chai’ there.
Rabada said he felt he didn’t start well but went on to grab three wickets in the match.
“That’s how cricket goes. I am glad to play a part to take the team across the line. We needed the two points. The team is clicking,” said the South African pacer.
Asked how kept himself ahead of the game, Rabada said, “It’s just not taking anything for granted. Sticking with your process and always looking to improve. The day that you stop looking to improve is the day that you retire.”
On the combination with Mohamed Siraj and other seamers, he said, “Yeah, a lot of fast bowlers, that’s been a clear tactic of Gujarat over the years, playing at Ahmedabad. So, it’s nice to see the fast bowlers union coming together and it’s been working thus far.
“I think we’ve been taking a lot of wickets, but at the same time, we need to find ways to contain too. So, it’s been a really lovely journey that we’ve had so far.”
CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad rued his side lost too many wickets and it was difficult to play some shots on the Chepauk pitch.
“Sometimes I hate to assess this way but it was challenging in the first innings. It was holding for the medium pacers and the bounce was up and down. We lost too many wickets but it was difficult to play some shots.”
Asked about the pitch, he said, “Not expected. It is hard to assess how it plays. This game we didn’t have any idea. By the time, we wanted to adapt it was too late.
“At the first timeout, when Flem (Stephen Fleming) came out, I told him I am trying to attack but it was tough. There was more bounce, or less bounce, and I told him I am trying to change. It just did not come good. It was just an off day and even on the field we were lethargic.”
On his innings of 74 off 60 balls, he said, “I got off to a really good start, and then I thought to keep up the momentum. But after the wickets fell, I thought to build a partnership. I then just wanted to take my time and rotate the strike.
“Any other pitch, any other day, I would have rotated the strike. Once I got hit, I just thought, let’s keep going.”
Brief Scores:
Chennai Super Kings: 158 for 7 in 20 overs (Ruturaj Gaikwad 74 not out; Kagiso Rabada 3/25).
Gujarat Titans: 162 for 2 in 16.4 overs (Sai Sudharsan 87, Shubman Gill 33, Jos Buttler 39 not out; Noor Ahmad 1/29).
