Gaikwad joins Kohli in an unwanted list; scripts big IPL partnership record | Cricket

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) played with renewed energy on Sunday at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune as MS Dhoni returned as their skipper as they hammered a colossal 202 runs the for loss of just two wickets against Sunrisers Hyderabad. En route, the opening pair of Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway stitched a record-breaking IPL stand while the former joined ex-Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli in an unfortunate list. (Follow IPL 2022 full coverage)

Gaikwad, who struggled throughout the first eight games of IPL 2022, was at his destructive best on Sunday as he laced six sixes and as many fours before missing out on a well-deserved century. He scored 99 off 57 and hence joined Kohli in the list of five unfortunate batters who have been all dismissed for 99 in an IPL game. Prithvi Shaw, Ishan Kishan and Chris Gayle are the other three batters on the list.

IPL 2022 Live Score, SRH vs CSK

His opening partner Conway, playing only his second game of the season, made an unbeaten 85 off 55 balls studded with eight hits to the fence and four maximums.

The opening pair together stitched a 182-run stand for CSK on Sunday which is the team’s highest opening stand in IPL history surpassing their previous best of an unbeaten 181 by Shane Watson and Faf du Plessis in IPL 2020 against Punjab Kings in Dubai. This is also the highest partnership for any wicket in an IPL game against SRH, surpassing the previous best of 157 by the RCB pair of Kohli and AB de Villiers in 2016.

Gaikwad was in his zone as he stood on his backfoot, waiting for the ball to come to him and played some exceptional shots to dominate the formidable SRH bowling unit.

Anything short was pulled with immaculate ease, while pitched up deliveries were treated with equal disdain as Gaikwad didn’t miss a trick to send SRH on a leather hunt during his classy innings.

Conway too showed great temperament as he was the perfect foil for Gaikwad. He bide his time initially before going for the big shots in the slog overs.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar (0/22) was the best bowler on display, while pace sensation Umran Malik had a really bad day in office, having conceded 48 in his four overs. T Natarajan (2/42) picked up two wickets but went for runs.

(with PTI inputs)