MS Dhoni and Shivam Dube
Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal’s debut and all-rounder Shivam Dubey helped Rajasthan Royals beat Chennai Super Kings by seven wickets in a high-scoring encounter on Saturday.
Chasing 190 in Abu Dhabi, Rajasthan, Jaiswal got off to a great start with 50 off 21 balls. Dube took charge towards the end, overtaking his first player IPL Fifty and lay your side at the finish line.
Chennai Captain M S Dhoni conceded that Rajasthan “took the game away” in the powerplays and joked about having nearly 250 on the surface. This was Dhoni’s 200th appearance as the captain of the IPL team.
“They snatched the game in the first 6 overs. 250 would have been close to par. A bad toss to lose. 190 was a good score, and the dew made it flat, and the ball started coming in nicely. You’re going to bat well.” was needed, and they did that and put pressure on the bowlers,” he said after the match.
Earlier, Ruturaj Gaikwad scored his maiden IPL century to help Chennai post an intimidating total on the scoreboard. He completed his century in just 60 balls hitting five sixes and nine fours.
The 24-year-old top-order batsman continued his stellar IPL run in the UAE. His scores in the UAE leg of IPL 2021 read – 101*(60), 45(38), 40(28), 38(26), 88*(58), 62*(49), 72(53), 65* (51).
Gaikwad, who was picked up by Chennai for his base price of Rs 20 lakh in 2019, has paid off handsomely for the three-time champion.
On Gaikwad’s show, Dhoni said, “Ruturaj capitalized really well. Often when you lose a game it can be a brush under the carpet but it was a brilliant innings. I think the batsmen were quick. One should assess what is a good score, and you work hard in the T20 format and then realize that it is not 160-180 wickets. He quickly assessed the conditions.”
The Rajasthan captain heaped praise on Dubey and Jaiswal, saying they are playing one match at a time. The sixth-placed Royals in the points table kept their playoff hopes alive with a win over Chennai.
“Very happy for Jaiswal, we are pretty sure he will make it big. We have been discussing Dubey in the last 2-3 matches. We thought today might be his day. He has been working hard in the nets. Incredible batting by Gaikwad. There is no risk in the way he plays. Very happy he scored a century, respect that. We are not thinking too far ahead, one game at a time,” Samson signed off Did it
.