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Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad played a lone hand with a resilient unbeaten 74 as Chennai Super Kings (CSK) managed to post a competitive 158/7 against Gujarat Titans (GT) at Chepauk in their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 match on Sunday.
On a surface that appeared to offer some assistance to the pacers early on and grip for the spinners later, GT's bowling attack, led by a clinical Kagiso Rabada, kept the home side under constant pressure. GT won the toss and opted to bowl first. Their decision paid immediate dividends as Kagiso Rabada (3/25 in 4 overs) dismantled the CSK top order during the Powerplay. He first dismissed Sanju Samson (11 and shortly after, removed Urvil Patel (4) in the same over, leaving CSK reeling at 25/2 in 4 overs. The middle order failed to provide the necessary impetus as Dewald Brevis was kept quiet, eventually falling to Manav Suthar (1/22 in 3 overs) for a sluggish 2 off 9 balls. Shivam Dube provided a brief spark with a 17-ball 22 but was dismissed by Arshad Khan (2/43 in 4 overs). While wickets tumbled at the other end, Ruturaj Gaikwad remained the steadying force for the five-time IPL champions. The CSK skipper hit six fours and four sixes in his 60-ball stay. He anchored the innings, reaching his half-century and then accelerating in the final overs. He found some support from Jamie Overton, who played a late cameo of 18 from just 6 deliveries, including three boundaries and a six off Arshad Khan, which helped push the total past the 150-mark. Kartik Sharma also contributed a quick-fire 15 before becoming Rabada's third victim. Kagiso Rabada was the standout performer for the Titans, finishing his four overs with figures of 3 for 25. Mohammed Siraj was equally impressive with 1/23 in 4 overs. Manav Suthar (1/22) and Jason Holder (0/22 in 4 overs) also ensured the run rate didn't spiral out of control during the middle overs, though Arshad Khan proved expensive in the final stages. CSK need to defend 158 to clinch their fourth win of the season. (ANI)
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