Gujarat Titans opener Sai Sudharsan delivered a commanding display in IPL 2026 on Friday, smashing a century off 57 balls against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. His innings featured 11 fours and five sixes as he looked thoroughly in control throughout, turning a comparatively quiet start to the season into a statement knock. Sudharsan also etched his name into IPL record books earlier in the same campaign, becoming the fastest batter to reach 2,000 runs.
Key takeaways
- Sai Sudharsan scored a century against RCB, reaching it off 57 deliveries.
- The innings included 11 boundaries in fours and five sixes, helping GT stay on course for a big total.
- He reached 2,000 IPL runs in 47 innings, the quickest by any batter.
- Sudharsan became the 14th player to register an IPL hundred versus Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
- He finished nine overs on 85 from 49 balls, with nine fours and four maximums.
Sudharsan’s century sets the tone for Gujarat Titans
Coming into the clash, Sudharsan’s IPL 2026 had been relatively modest. In his first six innings, he amassed 135 runs and managed only a single half-century, leaving questions about his consistency at the top. Against RCB, though, he played with clear intent and control, ensuring the innings kept accelerating without losing shape.
His approach against the Bengaluru bowling attack stood out, particularly during the powerplay where he faced the majority of the deliveries. By staying composed and timing the ball well, Sudharsan gave Gujarat Titans a firm platform and made it look as though a large score was always within reach.
He also handled pace with confidence, appearing comfortable against Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood as he rotated the strike and cashed in on scoring opportunities. The result was a flawless progression to his century, a landmark that also placed him among the notable names to have succeeded against RCB.
Sudharsan became the 14th batter to score an IPL hundred against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. He also became the second Gujarat Titans player to register a century versus RCB, following Shubman Gill, who did it in IPL 2023.
Earlier milestone: fastest to 2,000 IPL runs
Before the RCB fireworks, Sudharsan had already made IPL history by becoming the fastest batter to reach 2,000 runs. He achieved the milestone in just 47 innings, surpassing Chris Gayle, who had previously held the record at 48.
By that point, Sudharsan had already accumulated more than 2,000 runs across 47 matches, pairing his volume with strong returns through an impressive average and strike rate. The figures reflected his reputation as a top-order batter capable of delivering repeatedly, with multiple fifties and centuries in his run.
He also became only the second player—after Shubman Gill—to hit this 2,000-run benchmark for the franchise. At the end of nine overs in the relevant stretch of his innings, he was on 85 from 49 balls, striking nine fours and four sixes while continuing to anchor the chase-or-attack for his team.
Sudharsan further distinguished himself by reaching the 2,000 mark in terms of balls faced as well, taking 1,361 deliveries to complete the feat. That put him among an elite group of fast scorers, with names like Abhishek Sharma, Virender Sehwag, and Rishabh Pant also highlighted in that bracket—underscoring how quickly he was able to convert starts into substantial totals.
