CSK resumed their winning form from the previous season by defeating Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the opening match of IPL 2024 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, showcasing their championship prowess.
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The win also signaled Ruturaj Gaikwad‘s inaugural triumph as captain of CSK, stepping into a fresh leadership role at 27. Anticipations were lofty for the opening batsman, and Gaikwad embraced the responsibility with optimism, displaying adept captaincy qualities by maintaining composure in tense situations.
In a conversation with Ravi Shastri during the post-match presentation, the recently appointed CSK captain expressed his enjoyment in leading the team and extended gratitude towards the former CSK captain, acknowledging the support he received from him.
“I’ve always enjoyed it (captaincy), never felt it as an additional pressure. I had experience on how to handle it, never felt any pressure, obviously had Mahi (MS Dhoni) bhai as well.”
On securing his first win as captain of the illustrious five-time IPL champion team, Gaikwad remarked:
“Total control I would say, right from the start (apart) from 2-3 overs. Would’ve loved 10-15 runs less but I think they played really well towards the end. I feel that was a big turning point to get Maxwell and Faf out. We got three quick wickets and it helped us control the next overs, that was the real turning point.”
“There is role clarity in the batting unit” -Ruturaj Gaikwad talks about equal batting contributions in CSK’s run chase
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RCB batsmen Dinesh Karthik and Anuj Rawat displayed a remarkable performance in the initial innings, turning the score from 78/5 to 173/6. Despite the challenging target, CSK batsmen took charge in the second innings.
Although none of them reached a half-century, both the top and middle-order batsmen contributed evenly, maintaining parity between the two teams. Shivam Dube later led the charge, securing the victory with six wickets and eight balls remaining.
Regarding the pursuit, Gaikwad commented:
“I think everyone in our squad are natural stroke players, I think even Jinks (Ajinkya Rahane) is playing really positively. Everyone knows their roles and which bowlers to take on. Role clarity really helps.”
“Two-three things to work on, everyone batted well but I think if someone from the top 3 batted till the 15th over it would’ve been even easier.”
CSK clinched a six-wicket victory against RCB, commencing the new season on a positive note. Their upcoming match will be against Gujarat Titans on their home ground, a rematch of last year’s final. Meanwhile, RCB will host the Punjab Kings in their second game of the tournament.
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