Chennai Super Kings captain Ruturaj Gaikwad admitted he was thrilled with the team’s achievement in chasing a rare 200-plus total, as CSK overcame Lucknow Super Giants by five wickets in a high-scoring IPL contest at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday. The win was powered by Urvil Patel’s outstanding 13-ball fifty and came as CSK successfully hunted down 204 with four balls still left in the match. It also marked CSK’s first successful pursuit of a target beyond 180 since 2019, and moved them up to fifth place in the points standings.
Key takeaways
- CSK chased down 204 against Lucknow Super Giants at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday.
- Urvil Patel’s 13-ball fifty played a major role in the chase.
- The result was CSK’s first successful run-chase of 180+ since 2019.
- Chennai reached the target with four balls to spare and won by five wickets.
- Gaikwad said the team’s comeback mindset after the first time-out shaped the outcome.
- CSK are scheduled to play LSG again in Lucknow on May 15 for the reverse fixture.
Gaikwad on the chase and the turning points
In the post-match presentation, Gaikwad reflected on how difficult it can be to keep a chase under control once teams begin approaching the 200-mark. He noted that when a side sets out with 200-plus on the board, the innings nearly always tilts into the late overs—around the 18th, 19th or 20th—before the result is decided. While he felt CSK started strongly during the Power-play, he also acknowledged that it became a little “tacky” for a new batter to immediately play expansive shots straight away.
Still, the captain stressed that the priority was to finish the job and get the required result. He pointed out it had been a while since CSK had chased 200, making this successful pursuit especially satisfying.
Gaikwad also praised CSK’s bowling effort for the way it steadied the innings after Lucknow’s explosive start. He highlighted Jamie Overton’s three-wicket haul as a key factor in bringing the game back under control, after Josh Inglis had struck an aggressive 85.
Message from Sanju Samson and the bowling plan
Gaikwad revealed that a decisive message from Sanju Samson during the first strategic time-out helped lift the dressing room’s intensity. He explained that Samson urged the group to believe they could stage a comeback and to try to keep Lucknow’s total as low as possible. Gaikwad added that even if the score ended up around the 220 range, it would still be manageable—because the main objective was to win the contest by taking wickets and steadily working their way into the match during the chase.
He further said the squad was eager to respond after that first time-out, and that the determination shown at that stage altered the flow of the game. Gaikwad described the bowling approach as a balance of attacking from one end while being more defensive from the other, with the team focusing on getting the right bowlers into the right spells.
Looking at the match situation, Gaikwad noted that after the Power-play, Lucknow appeared to be ahead by 15, 20 or even 30 runs. On that basis, CSK decided to bring in their best options for the next few overs and assess how the momentum shifted. He credited Noor and Overton particularly for the spells from roughly the sixth to the tenth over range, saying they pulled things back effectively and set up the match for CSK’s comeback.
Credit for Inglis and preparations for the reverse fixture
Alongside his comments on CSK’s bowling, Gaikwad gave full credit to Josh Inglis for his 85, calling it an incredible innings and praising the variety of shots that left CSK without a clear answer. Gaikwad said it was difficult to plan or set a field against such impact batting, and that Inglis’s performance deserved the highest praise.
Looking ahead, Gaikwad stressed the importance of recovery, especially because CSK will travel to Lucknow to face Lucknow Super Giants in the reverse fixture on May 15. He said some players needed the break, pointing out that conditions on this side of the country have been hot and humid, making it tough to play a full 20-over game—particularly for many who are experiencing those conditions for the first time.
He added that during the break, CSK worked on multiple areas and that the improvements were already starting to show. With three games remaining in the season, Gaikwad urged the team to keep things simple, describing “keeping it simple” as the guiding mantra even when the pressure rises. He concluded by saying CSK would focus on checking the right boxes in training sessions and continuing to improve in every department possible.
