Gujarat Titans (GT) managed to put an end to their two-game losing streak with a well-timed victory against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Sunday. The match, which took place at the Chepauk Stadium, saw Shubman Gill leading his team to a convincing eight-wicket win. This result has elevated the 2022 IPL champions to fifth position in the league table with 8 points, while CSK have slipped to sixth.
Shubman Gill, the captain of the Titans, made headlines on social media after sharing a photo on his Instagram account. In the image, he is seen holding a yellow whistle and captioning it with “Nandri Chennai.” The post has garnered over a million likes and nearly 20,000 comments from fans. While some praised the young player for guiding his team to their first-ever victory at the Chepauk Stadium, others from the CSK fanbase felt it was a subtle jab at their team, expressing their disappointment.
Sai Sudharsan played a pivotal role in the victory by scoring a crucial 87 runs, allowing the visiting side to chase the 159-run target with ease. His performance was instrumental in ensuring that Gujarat did not face any major challenges during the chase.
Ruturaj Gaikwad provided a strong captain’s knock as CSK struggled early in their innings. The Super Kings were asked to bat first and quickly found themselves in trouble at 37 for 4 in the ninth over. Kagiso Rabada started the demolition by dismissing Sanju Samson and Urvil Patel in the fourth over. Mohammed Siraj then removed Sarfaraz Khan for a golden duck, while Manav Suthar claimed the wicket of Dewald Brevis for just two runs.
Gaikwad and Shivam Dube formed a solid partnership, adding 59 runs for the fifth wicket off 43 balls. The Chennai skipper remained unbeaten throughout the innings, scoring 74 off 60 balls and achieving his first half-century of the season. Rabada was the most successful bowler for the visitors, taking three wickets, while Arshad Khan added two more.
The former IPL champions delivered a clinical performance in their chase of 159 runs. Gujarat got off to a strong start, with the opening pair of Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan adding 58 runs for the first wicket. Gill scored 33 off just 23 balls before being stumped by Noor Ahmed’s bowling, thanks to a sharp piece of wicketkeeping by Sanju Samson.
Jos Buttler came into the innings and maintained the momentum, forming a valuable 97-run partnership with Sudharsan. The English batsman remained not out on 39 from 30 balls, hitting four boundaries and one six, as his team secured a comfortable victory.
