Ruturaj Gaikwad becomes first Chennai Super Kings captain to score FIFTY in 5 years

Ruturaj Gaikwad is also the 2nd CSK captain to score a fifty.

Ruturaj Gaikwad becomes first Chennai Super Kings captain to score FIFTY in 5 years

Ruturaj Gaikwad (Image via BCCI)

On 8th April, Ruturaj Gaikwad scored his fifty of the 2024 IPL in 37 balls while chasing a low target of 138 against Kolkata Knight Riders. The captain led from the front and scored the first fifty by a CSK captain in five seasons. 

The last CSK captain to score a fifty was MS Dhoni, who scored 84* against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Since that season, Dhoni kept playing down the order at either number 6, 7 or eight, coming late into the innings to bat. 

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In 2022, Dhoni gave up captaincy, handing it to Ravindra Jadeja. In his first match as a regular player, he scored an unbeaten 50* against KKR.

He finally took back captaincy mid-way through the season. Since 2019, Dhoni’s highest score as CSK captain was 47* in a match against Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2020. Ruturaj Gaikwad’s 67* off 58 makes him the first CSK captain to score a fifty in five seasons and the 2nd CSK captain to score a fifty. 

Ruturaj Gaikwad in disbelief after MS Dhoni drops regulation catch 

During the 17th over, a struggling Andre Russell was facing Mustafizur Rahman, who was bowling cutters after cutters. Russell kept trying to attack the seamer, but failed to connect bat to ball. It was finally in the 4th ball of the over Russell had a connection, but it wasn’t the one he needed. 

MS Dhoni and Ruturaj Gaikwad
MS Dhoni and Ruturaj Gaikwad (Image via ESPN)

Instead of middling the ball, he edged it. MS Dhoni jumped to his right and attempted to take a one-handed catch. Unfortunately the ball didn’t stick in his gloves and he dropped a regulation catch.

All CSK players were shocked, especially Ruturaj Gaikwad, as they knew the importance of getting Russell out. Luckily he was not able to cause anymore damage as he was dismissed by Tushar Deshpande the next over. 

https://twitter.com/Sitaraman112971/status/1777363481932481003

The match was an easy one for CSK, who won by six wickets. They bowled out KKR for just 137 in the first innings, with Deshpande and Jadeja picking up three each. Chasing the total down, Gaikwad scored an unbeaten 67 and won his team the match. 

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