Ruturaj Gaikwad fell 2 runs short of setting a new IPL record on Sunday. The CSK captain smashed 98 off 54 balls before getting out in the last over of the Super Kings’ innings against the SunRisers at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Had Ruturaj completed his hundred, he would have become the first captain in the history of the IPL to hit hundreds in back-to-back matches.
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Ruturaj Gaikwad was robbed off strike in the end overs by Shivam Dube, who went berserk to hit 39 off 20 balls. When he got the strike in the 2nd delivery of the 20th over, Ruturaj did not have the option of knocking it around as he tried to hit a boundary and was caught as T Natarajan picked up the big wicket.
Ruturaj had hit 108 off 60 balls against Lucknow last week, but it ended in vain as the touring side rode on a Marcus Stoinis special to chase down 211.
Ruturaj Gaikwad continued from where he left as he single-handedly kept the charge going in the powerplay after Pat Cummins won the toss and SunRisers opted to field. CSK got off to a cautious start and lost opener Ajinkya Rahane for 9 from 12 balls after which Ruturaj and Dayl Mitchell stitched a 107-run stand in just 64 balls.
Only 4 batters have hit successive hundreds in the IPL so far. Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli were the latest additions when they achieved the milestone during a purple match in 2023.
SUCCESSIVE HUNDREDS IN IPL
- Shikhar Dhawan in 2020
- Jos Buttler in 2022
- Virat Kohli in 2023
- Shubman Gill in 2023
Ruturaj Gaikwad’s knock aside, Chennai rode on Daryl Mitchell’s 32-ball 52 and Dube’s late blitz to post another total in excess of 200. It was a confidence-boosting knock for Mitchell, who had been struggling for form since he signed up with the Super Kings.
A total of 8 sixes were hit by the Super Kings, 4 of which came from Shivam Dube’s bat. Dube remained unbeaten on 39 off 20 balls while MS Dhonni hit 5 from just 2 balls, much to the delight of the Chennai crowd.