Jaipur: The dangerous top order of Shubman Gill (84), Sai Sudharsan (39) and Jos Buttler (50 not out) continued their terrific form as Gujarat Titans (GT) scored 209/4 in 20 overs, in match 47, of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Monday.
For the Rajasthan Royals, Maheesh Theekshana was the main pick of the bowlers and grabbed two important scalps.
Although a big total was always on the books with the dangerous opening pair of Gill and Sudharsan at the crease, RR had a chance to get an early breakthrough with the latter having holed out straight to Shimron Hetmeyer off Maheesh Theekshana but was dropped in the second over.
That was all the leeway the duo needed as they took the attack to RR bowlers, with Gill smashing consecutive boundaries off Yudhvir Singh. Gill and Sudharsan raced to 53/0 at the end of the powerplay, taking turns carving boundaries.
The skipper scored the first maximum of the game, off his counterpart, as he got down on one knee and smashed Riyan Parag over mid wicket. Gill went on to raise his fourth half-century of the season in 29 deliveries.
Sudharsan was nearing his sixth fity of the season, after having reclaimed the orange cap, when Theekshana finally got his man in the 11th over. A fuller delivery saw the left-hander try and clear the long on boundary but was not able to get the needed elevation and hit it straight to Parag,
With Buttler now at the crease, Gill accelerated the innings in sublime fashion. He started off by punishing Sandeep Sharma’s full-toss for six and followed it with two sixes off Yudhvir, both over deep square leg, with a flick and a pull shot.
Buttler was not going to allow Gill to take on all the responsibilities, especially playing at his former home ground, and went on to heavily damage Wanindu Hasaranga’s economy on the day. After having gone for only 14 off three overs, the Sri Lankan all-rounder was smashed around the park – Over square leg, straight down the ground and over deep square- for three sixes and a four.
Gill’s quest for his fifth IPL ton was thwarted by Theekshana when he was dismissed in similar fashion to Sudharsan after the skipper found Parag while trying to hit a low full toss for six.
Gill ended his innings with a valiant score of 84 but was again disappointed to not have crossed the century mark after he scored 90 in their last game. His innings came at a strike rate of 168 with five boundaries and four sixes to his name.
Buttler and Washington Sundar (13) claimed a six each off Jofra Archer in the 18th over before the latter was dismissed by Sandeep Sharma in the penultimate over, with Heytmer taking a solid catch and making up for the dropped chance by running in from the boundary and completed a diving effort. Archer got his lone scalp of the night in the form of Rahul Tewatia (9) by lbw. Buttler raised his fourth half-century off the campaign in 26 deliveries with a double off the final delivery as Gujarat reached 209/4 in 20 overs.
Brief Score: Gujarat Titans 209/4 in 20 overs (Shubman Gill 84, Jos Buttler 50 not out; Maheesh Theekshana 2-35, Sandeep Sharma 1-33) vs Rajasthan Royals
(IANS)
