AHMEDABAD: Shubman Gill’s knock of and Gujarat Titans batters’ collective performance overshadowed Ruturaj Gaikwad’s heroic knock 92(50) as Gujarat Titans stood victorious over Chennai Super Kings by 5 wickets in IPL 2023 campaign opener at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Friday.
Wriddhiman Saha and Shubman Gill fired all the cylinders right from the very first ball. Even though Saha lost his wicket in the last ball of the fourth over, he had already achieved the task he was asked to do. His knock of 25(16) laid the groundwork for the 179-run chase. Gill adopted a similar appraoch to Gaikward. Irrespective of what was happening on the other end, he continued to play aggressively.
Sai Sudarshan came in and defined the true meaning of impact player. He replaced Kane Williamson in the 13th over, who injured himself after landing awkwardly on the ground. Sudarshan supported Gill till the half of the second innings. His knock of 22(17) kept the pressure off GT. After Sudarshan’s wicket GT skipper, Hardik Pandya stepped in to keep the scoreboard ticking.
However, Hardik lost his wicket to Ravindra Jadeja. Vijay Shankar’s knock of 27(21) kept Gujarat Titans in the game. Rahul Tewatia was given the freedom to play according to his own will. However, CSK had a plan for him which kept him silent for the most part of his innings.
After Vijay Shankar’s departure, Rashid Khan came in to change the course of the game. He sent the ball flying into the stands on his very first ball. On his second ball, he chipped the ball over the short third of the boundary. GT required eight in the final over. Tewatia finished off the game with a six and a four to hand GT’s first victory of the IPL 2023 by successfully completing 179 run chase.
Earlier that innings Gaikwad and Ambati Rayudu helped CSK cross the 100-run mark in 11 overs. The Gaikwad-Rayudu duo notched up a 50-run partnership in just 29 balls. The 51-run-partnership was broken as Joshua Little cleaned up Rayudu for 12, which came off 12 balls, as CSK lost their fourth wicket at the score of 121.
In-form Gaikwad along with Shivam Dube took CSK beyond the 150-run mark in 16.4 overs. Ruturaj Gaikwad was finally dismissed by Gujarat Titans at 92, which he scored off 50 balls hitting 9 sixes and four boundaries. Alzarri Joseph took the wicket and two balls later also sent Ravindra Jadeja packing for 1 as CSK lost their sixth wicket with the team score at 153.
Jadeja’s wicket brought CSK captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni to the middle. In the next over, Shivam Dube too was sent back to the pavilion by Shami who took his second wicket of the match. MS Dhoni’s one towering six and a four took CSK to 178/7 in 20 overs and he remained unbeaten on 14, made from seven balls.
Chennai will try to take positives from the match as RS Hangargekar was quite effective in the bowling department.
Brief scores: GT 182/5 in 19.2 overs (Shubman Gill 63(36), Vijay Shankar 27(21)and Hangargekar 3/36)vs CSK 178/7 in 20 overs (Ruturaj Gaikwad 92, Moeen Ali 23; Rashid Khan 2/26). (ANI)
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