Bowlers calling the shots in a league known for big hitting is still unusual, yet that is exactly what unfolded at Chepauk on Sunday. Gujarat Titans made the most of a surface that offered extra bounce, restricted Chennai Super Kings to 158/7, and then completed the chase with ease thanks to a composed, condition-aware effort from Sai Sudharsan, who struck 87 off 46 balls. Titans finished 159 comfortably, winning by eight wickets and moving to fifth place after collecting eight points, having started the day in seventh.
Gujarat’s chase: controlled aggression and a Sudharsan masterclass
With the first phase of the contest belonging to the Titans’ bowlers, the chase turned into a study in measured intent. Sudharsan’s innings was built around picking the right deliveries to attack while still respecting the pace and bounce on offer, turning the target into something far less daunting than it might have looked earlier.
- Sudharsan struck 87 from 46 balls to anchor Gujarat’s pursuit of 159.
- He struck seven sixes during his stay at the crease, underlining how effectively he dominated on a wicket where CSK’s batters had struggled earlier.
- The chase was completed with 20 balls remaining, with Titans reaching 154/1 when the result was essentially sealed.
Openers set the tone as the innings stayed in control
Gujarat’s foundation came early, with the openers producing a 58-run partnership that removed much of the pressure from the Powerplay. Shubman Gill looked fluent—combining clean strokeplay with aggression—before his dismissal, which did not derail the momentum.
- Gill contributed 33 off 23 balls before being dismissed by spinner Noor Ahmad.
- Jos Buttler finished unbeaten on 39 off 30 balls, providing the perfect finishing support alongside Sudharsan.
- Ahmad and Akeal Hosein each took a wicket, while the rest of the bowling options could not stem the run flow.
Why CSK struggled: bounce, misjudged shots, and a late fightback
Earlier in the innings, the pitch demanded caution and adaptability, especially because it offered sharp carry. Instead of consistently playing within the conditions, CSK repeatedly went for higher-risk shots without fully reading the bounce and pace, which led to a series of miscued dismissals. The result was a total of 158/7—respectable in parts, but never truly comfortable.
Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad provided the closest thing to stability, striking a maiden half-century of the season in IPL cricket. His 74 not out made sure CSK did not collapse into a low score, even though the rest of the batting found it difficult to settle.
- Gaikwad scored 74* off 60 balls, with six fours and four sixes.
- CSK’s innings ended at 158/7 after batting through a series of sharp dismissals.
Early blows and a Powerplay collapse
The tone for CSK’s innings was set by Gujarat pacer Mohammed Siraj, who extracted steep bounce and forced errors. Sanju Samson started cautiously, working his way through the first over, before opening up against Kagiso Rabada. Samson also reached the 5000-run milestone in IPL cricket during that phase.
- Samson made 11 before being dismissed when Rabada’s bounce accounted for him.
- Rabada finished with figures of 3/25.
- Samson’s dismissal came after a hard slash outside off, taking a faint edge that Jos Buttler held safely.
Once Samson fell, the collapse quickened. Urvil Patel was the next batter to go, and Sarfaraz Khan also departed after failing to handle the extra lift from Siraj.
- Urvil Patel scored 4 and was out trying an ambitious pull in the same Rabada over.
- Sarfaraz Khan was dismissed for 0 after mistiming a short ball, offering a simple catch.
- CSK were 28/3 inside the Powerplay.
Rebuild attempts, stalled momentum, and late acceleration too late
Gaikwad and Dewald Brevis attempted to rebuild, but Brevis’s impatience against Manav Suthar proved costly. His downfall came after he failed to get to the pitch of the ball and ended up holing out.
- Brevis made 2 before holing out against Manav Suthar.
With wickets piling up, Gaikwad’s approach became more defensive, understandable under the circumstances but unable to revive the innings fully. Dot balls accumulated, and CSK reached 50 only in the 12th over—far too slow for a chase that would later demand discipline. The skipper did find a way to accelerate eventually, striking Arshad Khan and Jason Holder for towering sixes, but the timing of that surge came after the damage had already been done.
Shivam Dube, dropped three times at 6, 11, and 22, struggled to find rhythm before Arshad Khan removed him. Kartik Sharma (15) and Jamie Overton (18) added some late impetus with a few big hits, but by then the innings had effectively been decided by Gujarat’s control of the bounce and shot selection throughout.
Result: GT’s bowling plans and CSK’s reading of conditions decide it
On a pitch that rewarded discipline and smart decision-making, Gujarat Titans executed their bowling plans with precision. CSK’s batters, meanwhile, did not adjust quickly enough to the conditions, and that lapse—visible from the early dismissals through the stalled middle overs—ultimately defined the match. In the end, the Titans’ two-phase dominance delivered an eight-wicket win, with Sudharsan’s 87 and Buttler’s unbeaten support ensuring the chase never truly threatened to slip away.
