Ruturaj Gaikwad is making a strong case for himself to punch his ticket for the T20 World Cup as the Chennai Super Kings opener smashed a fiery yet a classic 98 against the Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2024 on Sunday.
Had he scored 2 more runs, it would have been his second consecutive hundred of the IPL. Nevertheless, his knock off just 54 balls powered CSK to a healthy 212/3.
The CSK skipper showcased his exceptional skills and temperament. Despite the early loss of his opening partner, Ajinkya Rahane, Gaikwad's composed and resilient innings anchored CSK's batting lineup.
After stitching a 107-run stand with Daryl Mitchell, Gaikwad found an attacking ally in Shivam Dube. The pair scored a fiery 74-run partnership like they did in the previous game against LSG.
In the last game, Gaikwad's 2nd IPL hundred had marked the first-ever century by a CSK captain, and the first at Chepauk since Brendon McCullum's memorable ton against Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2015.