Rabada and Sudharsan fashion Gujarat Titans comprehensive eight-wicket win over Chennai

Sai Sudharsan has struck a purple patch as he followed up his century with a half-century to steer Gujarat Titans to a comprehensive eight-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings in their IPL match.

After Saturday’s run-feast, one was transported to an entirely different world at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Asked to bat first, Chennai made a reasonably decent start with openers Sanju Samson and Ruturaj Gaikwad adding 21 for the first wicket in 3.3 overs. But once Sanju (11) was caught by Jos Buttler behind the stumps off Kagiso Rabada, things went southward for Chennai.

It turned out to be one of the greatest crawls ever seen on the cricket field as runs dried up like in a drought as the hosts lost wickets. From 21 for one, they stumbled to 37 for four in 8.2 overs as they lost Urvil Patel (4), Sarfaraz Khan (0) and Dewald Brevis (2) without much ado.

Ruturaj Gaikwad finally got his first half-century of IPL 2026

Skipper Ruturaj and Shivam Dube then tried to salvage their position, but the slow pace of the innings was uncharacteristically T20. It took Chennai 12 overs to reach 50. It is their second slowest team 50 in the IPL. Their slowest is in 12.1 overs against RCB in 2011.

Ruturaj then broke the shackles in the next over as he struck two sixes off Arshad Khan to inject some momentum into the innings. Thereafter, Chennai batters tried to step up the pace.  Gaikwad reached a 49-ball fifty. His first fifty of IPL 2026 but, unfortunately, his slowest and the slowest by anyone in the IPL since the start of 2022. It turned out to be a whirlwind finish for Chennai, who smashed 107 runs in the last eight overs to reach 158 for 7.

But the score was not sufficient to stop Gujarat Titans from carving out a comfortable win. They replied with 162 for two in 16.4 overs to take their tally to eight points. Titans are fifth in the table, while Chennai remain in the sixth position.

“Very happy. To get a win like that in this part of India, I am very happy. Apart from the last four or five overs, it was a complete performance. I was a little confused whether to bowl or bat but we bowled well in the powerplay. If I have to be critical, finishing an innings has been a problem,” said Gill.

Sudharsan paves the way for victory

Sudharsan struck a fluent 87 to set up the victory. He shared a 58-run stand with fellow opener and skipper Shubman Gill (33) and then added 97 for the second wicket with Jos Buttler.

Buttler remained unbeaten on 39 off 30 balls with four fours and a six, while Sudharsan got his runs from 46 balls with four boundaries and seven sixes.

Kagiso Rabada and Mohd Siraj during the match. Pics: BCCI

“I actually didn’t feel I started pretty well. That’s how cricket goes. I am glad to play a part to take the team across the line. We needed the two points. I guess it’s just not taking anything for granted. Sticking with your process and always looking to improve. The day that you stop looking to improve is the day that you retire,” said Kagiso Rabada, who was named the Player of the Match.

Asked about his partnership with Mohamed Siraj and the other seamers, Rabada said: “Yeah, a lot of fast bowlers, that’s been a clear tactic of Gujarat over the years, playing at Ahmedabad. So, it’s nice to see the fast bowlers’ union coming together and yeah, it’s been working thus far. I think we’ve been taking a lot of wickets, but at the same time, we need to find ways to contain too. So, it’s been a really, really lovely journey I guess that we’ve had so far.”

Brief scores: Chennai Super Kings 158 for seven in 20 overs (Ruturaj Gaikwad 74, Shivam Dube 22; Kagiso Rabada 3/25, Arshad Khan 2/43) lost to Gujarat Titans 162 for two in 16.4 overs (Sai Sudharshan 87, Shubman Gill 33, Jos Buttler 39 not out).