New Delhi, Sep 19: Young batsman Ruturaj Gaikwad produced his best-ever innings with the bat as he rescued Chennai Super Kings from a disastrous start and guided his team to a respectable 156 for six in their first game of phase two of the IPL 2021 against Mumbai Indians.
CSK lost their top-four in the powerplay and Ambati Rayudu retired hurt after suffering an injury in his right elbow were in a spot of bother. The memories of a below-par IPL 2020 season in the UAE started to haunt the Yellow Brigade.
CSK lost Faf du Plessis and Moeen Ali - two of CSK's key players and leading run-getters from the first half of this season - early. Both the batters were dismissed for a duck in the first two overs and left their team in the lurch.
When the Super Kings lost their captain MS Dhoni and vice-captain early it seemed as if the entire CSK side will fold for less than 100. However, the pair of Gaikwad and Ravindra Jadeja revived the team with their 81-run stand. The duo first spent their time in the middle and cut loose later on.
Gaikwad was the one who stole the show with his imperious batting effort as he played classy shots in his 88* off 58 deliveries. It was the highest individual score for CSK against mighty Mumbai. CSK batting coach Michael Hussey's 86* was the previous best which came in IPL 2013.
It was his fourth consecutive half-century in the IPL in the UAE. The right-handed batsman from Maharashtra smashed three back-to-back fifties in his last three innings in IPL 2020. Gaikwad's knock was laced with nine boundaries and four maximums. The last six he hit off Jasprit Bumrah, on the final delivery of the innings, showed the kind of form he was in.
Reacting to his belligerent knock Ruturaj said, " I'm very tired right now, but proud that I carried the innings for my team. My job was just to bat long at that stage (when they lost early wickets). You always have to start fresh, it's good to get off to a great start."
Here's how the cricketing fraternity hailed Gaikwad:
Impressive is the word for #Ruturajgaekwad
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) September 19, 2021
Well played #Rituraj super Inn machaa @ChennaiIPL vs @mipaltan @IPL
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) September 19, 2021
That six by @Ruutu1331 of the final ball of the innings was as non chalant as the one by @ivivianrichards in the 1979 WC final#MIvCSK #IPL2O21
— WV Raman (@wvraman) September 19, 2021
For a young man of slight build and classical batting technique, Ruturaj Gaikwad has adapted very efficiently to T20 cricket.
— Ian Raphael Bishop (@irbishi) September 19, 2021
Ruturaj Gaikwad wow! Hats off. Everything was going haywire early and he stayed to play a fantastic knock. And what a recovery by CSK. #CSKvMI
— Chloe-Amanda Bailey (@ChloeAmandaB) September 19, 2021
In his innings today Ruturaj Gaikwad scored 32 runs from 12 balls through the midwicket region, including 3 sixes. #IPL2021 #CSKvMI pic.twitter.com/tiNcTq3qrO
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) September 19, 2021
What an impressive knock by Ruturaj Gaikwad considering the situation and mainly the OPPOSITION. #IPL2021
— Gaurav Sundararaman (@gaurav_sundar) September 19, 2021
From 7/3 to 156/6, What a fightback!
— Abhinav mukund (@mukundabhinav) September 19, 2021
Outstanding from @Ruutu1331,the maturity on show to construct an innings was commendable. This is going to be a cracker of a contest!#VIVOIPL #IPL2O21 #CSKvsMI #Cricket #CSK #MI
Ruturaj has started the UAE leg of the #IPL2021 from where he’d left in 2020. Sublime batting. Vindicated Dhoni’s decision to bat first on this surface. If only, #CSK didn’t lose 4 in the PP overs. Having said that…Game On. Remember—No Rohit, No Hardik. #CSKvMI #CricketTwitter
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) September 19, 2021