Ahmedabad: Gujarat Titans rode on fluent fifties from B. Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill, and Jos Buttler to post a daunting 229/4 against Chennai Super Kings in their final league stage clash of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Thursday.
It was an innings that was straight out of GT’s successful template — the top three batters once again did the bulk of the scoring and laid the foundation for posting a massive total. While Sudharsan top-scored with 84 off 53 balls, Gill smashed 64 off 37 balls, and Buttler applied finishing touches to hit an unbeaten 57 off 27 balls as the trio piled misery on a hapless CSK bowling line-up.
Right from the word go, Gill and Sudharsan set the tone for GT’s mammoth total on a red soil pitch. Gill came out with all the guys blazing to give GT a flying start, while Sudharsan initially played the supporting role. But once the powerplay ended, both batters shifted their gears beautifully, as boundaries came thick and fast from both ends.
Gill raced to a 23‑ball fifty with a brace of sixes off Noor Ahmad, while also crossing 6000 T20 runs. Sudharsan followed him by getting his fifth consecutive IPL fifty off 35 balls, placing him in a club that already has Virender Sehwag, David Warner, and Buttler.
Their 125-run stand also meant Gill and Sudharsan joined Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers to equal the record for most 100‑run partnerships in IPL-10. Sudharsan has also put together a seventh stand of 100 runs or more with Gill, which has set a new IPL record.
CSK finally broke through in the 13th over when Gill miscued off Johnson to mid-wicket. Buttler walked in and immediately lifted Noor for two sixes to keep the tempo high. Sudharsan, meanwhile, continued to strike clean sixes and fours to move into the 80s.
The 18th over swung momentum further GT’s way. Sudharsan lofted Kamboj for six but perished on the next ball by holing out to long-off. Rahul Tewatia was run out without scoring, but Buttler responded with back‑to‑back boundaries to reach his fifty off 23 balls.
Washington Sundar joined Buttler and immediately carved Mukesh Choudhary for a six over third man. Though Sundar gave a catch behind to Urvil Patel on the final ball, GT had crossed 220 by then. Now facing an uphill chase, CSK will hope Sanju Samson, its most effective batter this season, will be fit enough to come out to bat in the second innings after a finger injury saw him get off the field in the second over.
Brief scores:
Gujarat Titans 229/4 in 20 overs (B. Sai Sudharsan 84, Shubman Gill 64, Mukesh Choudhary 1-36, Spencer Johnson 1-47) against Chennai Super Kings
(IANS)
