Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad yesterday hit 98 to help holders Chennai Super Kings (CSK) jump to third in the table with a 78-run hammering of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).
Chennai posted 212-3 courtesy of Gaikwad’s 54-ball knock and his key partnerships including a 107-run second-wicket stand with Daryl Mitchell, who hit 52. Medium-pace bowler Tushar Deshpande led the bowling charge with four wickets as he helped bowl out Hyderabad for 134 in 18.5 overs.
Gaikwad said yesterday: “(I am) feeling pretty good. It’s really tough to play in such wet conditions and to win by 78 runs was a very clinical performance. Great win for us. There conditions are too hot and humid. Last game I was out fielding for 20 overs and 19 overs today. I was never even thinking about the hundred. I was just trying to make sure we get to 220 or whatever extra runs possible.”
The CSK skipper added: “Even in the last game I wasn’t thinking about the hundred. I was upset I missed a few shots. At the innings break I thought it would cost us. But in the end it worked out. Last game we made some errors, some loose balls here and there, not really up to the mark in the field.
“I’m not very vocal. Everyone is very experienced in the dressing room and you can’t just go up to seniors and tell them what to do. So I just take a back seat,” he added.
Considering the recent trends in the IPL, SRH would have backed themselves to chase down 214 as openers Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma started off in expected fashion, targeting the boundaries.
In the second over, CSK delivered a double-blow when Head tried to hit over the off-side but hit it straight to the man in the deep. Anmolpreet Singh was introduced as the Impact Player, but got an outside edge off his first ball and was caught at cover.
Deshpande provided those breaks for CSK. A couple of overs later, Deshpande got another big wicket when Abhishek hit it straight to the fielder at deep point.
BRIEF SCORESChennai Super Kings 212-3 (Gaikwad 98, Mitchell 52) beat Sunrisers Hyderabad 134 all out (Markram 32, Deshpande 4 for 27) by 78 runs