Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shivam Dube absolutely owned the Lucknow Super Giants bowlers on Tuesday to take their team to a score of 210/4 in 20 overs. Gaikwad slammed an unbeaten ton while Shivam Dube struck a quick-fore 66 as CSK made merry at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. To add to the CSK fans' joy, MS Dhoni came out to bat too and finished off in style by hitting a boundary. Gaikwad, who took over the CSK captaincy from Dhoni this season, stayed unbeaten on 108*.
This is the first time a CSK captain has struck a century in the IPL. This is also the highest score by a CSK captain in the IPL. MS Dhoni's highest in the IPL is 84*. However, one needs to keep in mind that Gaikwad is an opener while Dhoni batter in the middle order and, hence, always had lesser number of balls.
A remarkable unbeaten hundred by captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shivam Dube's ruthless fifty formed the pillars of Chennai Super Kings' competitive 210 for four against Lucknow Super Giants. Gaikwad (108, 60b, 12x4, 3x6) and Dube (66, 27b, 3x4, 7x6) added 104 runs for an entertaining fourth-wicket stand that gave steam to Super Kings innings after a rather subdued Power Play (49/2) and the middle passage.
The CSK should primarily thank Gaikwad, who played an innings which was a connoisseur's delight, for that total after the early departure of Ajinkya Rahane, who was caught superbly by stumper KL Rahul off Matt Henry.
The batting in this iteration of the IPL has been all about scorching the ball far and wide but Gaikwad took a classic route, timing the ball through the gaps for fours.
In fact, his first fifty contained no fours but still he managed to maintain a strike-rate of above 180 during that phase.
The fifty, the right-hander's 17th in the IPL, came off just 28 balls. The most spectacular shot that Gaikwad played on the night was a slice-cut off pacer Mohsin Khan that beat the point fielder for a boundary.
However, his focus was also on constructing useful alliances with his teammates as 45 runs were made with Daryl Mitchell, who replaced an out of touch Rachin Ravindra, and 52 were made alongside Ravindra Jadeja (17).
However, both Mitchell (11), who was dropped on four, and Jadeja would rue missing out on a chance to chip in with a far bigger knock.
While Gaikwad was the main contributor in those partnerships, the pressure was slightly lifted off Gaikwad's shoulders once Dube arrived at the crease.
The left-hander played some powerful hits around the field and, not so surprisingly, fetched CSK's first six of the innings in the 13th over off pacer Marcus Stoinis.
Gaikwad soon slammed the first six of his innings in the 45th ball he faced –pulling Stoinis' half-tracker over mid-wicket.
However, Dube seamlessly slipped into his six-hitting avatar and pacer Yash Thakur bore the brunt as the left-hander smashed him for three successive sixes.
Gaikwad, who reached 99 with a six off Thakur over extra cover, reached his second IPL hundred with a four in the next ball off the same bowler as he made 16 runs in the 18th over.
Gaikwad and Dube brought up 100 of their partnership in just 46 balls.
Dube hammered Mohsin for a four and six off successive balls to reach his fifty in 22 balls as CSK plundered 71 runs off the last five overs.
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