The Indian Premier League is not only the platform wherein youngsters don’t only get a chance to share the dressing room with the legends of the game but also get to prove their mettle and make their way in their country’s national side. Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings took on each other at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad in the first match of the IPL 2023.
Ruturaj Gaikwad rose to the occasion and slammed a brilliant 92-run knock batting for Chennai which consisted of four fours and nine sixes. Gaikwad gave the platform to CSK and his innings helped them to make a first-innings score of 178/7. However, the team was 15-20 runs short at the end of the first innings.
CSK vs GT, IPL 2023 match: Dhoni, Pandya hail Ruturaj Gaikwad
Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni hailed Ruturaj Gaikwad’s innings in the post-match press conference and said, “Ruturaj (Gaikwad) was brilliant, he times the ball well and he’s a pleasure to watch. The way he picks his options is pleasing to watch. I think it’s important for the youngsters to step in.”
Gujarat Titans captain Hardik Pandya also praised Ruturaj Gaikwad for his innings and said, “At one point, it looked like CSK would score 220-230. We were finding it difficult on what area we should bowl at Ruturaj. I genuinely felt that today we could not get him out at all. Some of the shots that he played were not bad balls, he was punishing the good balls as well. As a bowling unit and as a captain, that made my job more difficult.”
‘Full credit to him for the way he batted’: Hardik Pandya
“Some of the shots Rutu played was nothing to do with the bowling. He played some outrageous shots. Full credit to him for the way he batted and if he continues to do so he is going to do wonders for Indian cricket. He has the game and I am sure when the time comes Indian cricket team will back him enough”, Hardik further said.
However, CSK was not able to win the match and at last, ended on the losing side. They will play their next match against the Lucknow Super Giants at the Chepauk ground in Chennai.
