Gujarat Titans (GT) finally ended their two-game losing run with a timely win over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Sunday afternoon. Shubman Gill led his side to an eight-wicket win. The 2022 IPL winners are now fifth in the table with 8 points, while Chennai have dropped down to the sixth spot.
The Titans’ skipper has created a massive storm on social media after posting a picture on his Instagram handle. The 26-year-old had posted a picture of himself with a yellow whistle in his hand and captioned the picture by writing ‘Nandri Chennai’. His post has received over a million likes and nearly 20,000 comments.
Fans were divided over the post as many applauded the youngster for leading his side to their first-ever victory at the Chepauk Stadium. CSK fans, on the other hand, saw it as a dig at their team and expressed their displeasure.
Sai Sudharsan’s 87-run knock meant that the visiting side didn’t break a sweat while chasing the 159-run target set by the home side.
Ruturaj Gaikwad plays captain’s knock after CSK’s early jitters
The Super Kings were asked to bat first and found themselves in trouble at 37 for 4 in the ninth over. Kagiso Rabada dismissed Sanju Samson and Urvil Patel in the 4th over of the game. Mohammed Siraj then got the wicket of Sarfaraz Khan for a golden duck, while Manav Suthar got the huge wicket of Dewald Brevis for just two runs.
Gaikwad and Shivam Dube added 59 runs for the fifth wicket, which came off 43 balls. Chennai’s skipper carried his bat through the innings, scoring an unbeaten 74 off 60 balls and registering his first half-century of the season. Rabada was the best bowler for the visitors with three scalps while Arshad Khan took two wickets.
Former IPL champs post clinical win after masterful chase
Needing 159 runs to win the game, Gujarat got off to a good start as the opening pair of Shubman and Sudharsan added 58 for the first wicket. Gill scored 33 off just 23 balls before a smart piece of wicketkeeping by Samson saw the batter being stumped off Noor Ahmed’s bowling.
Jos Buttler joined the fray and didn’t let the momentum suffer as he added 97 runs for the second wicket with Sai. The Englishman was not out on 39 from 30 balls with four boundaries and a solitary six as his team romped home.
