The MA Chidambaram Stadium witnessed another twist in IPL fortunes as Gujarat Titans routed Chennai Super Kings by 8 wickets, chasing 159 with ease. CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad shouldered the blame squarely on the pitch’s peculiarities after his side folded for 158/7.
Leading from the front with 74 runs – laced with aggressive strokeplay including six boundaries and four maximums – Gaikwad was the lone warrior in a batting debacle. ‘It was a difficult surface,’ he confessed. ‘Seamers got extra grip, ball speed fluctuated, bounce was erratic. Fewer wickets lost, and we could’ve pushed to 170-plus.’
Reflecting on recent outings, Gaikwad noted, ‘Chepauk’s conditions are hard to predict. Last few matches gave us strong chances at 60-70%, but today caught us off guard. Adaptation was our Achilles’ heel.’
The middle order mirrored the woes: Samson managed 11, Sarfaraz a duck, Brevis 2, Dube 22, and Sharma 15. GT, meanwhile, cruised with Sudharsan’s explosive 87 (46 balls, 4×4, 7×6), Buttler’s unbeaten 39, and Gill’s steady 33.
As CSK grapples with this setback, Gaikwad’s words signal a team in introspection mode, eyeing corrections for upcoming battles in the high-stakes IPL tournament.
