Ravindra, Dube star as Chennai thump Gujarat by 63 runs for second straight win in IPL

New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra hit an explosive 46 and took three catches to help holders Chennai Super Kings to their second straight Indian Premier League (IPL) win with a 63-run thrashing of Gujarat Titans on Tuesday night.

The left-handed Ravindra, in his debut IPL season, made his runs off 20 balls while captain Ruturaj Gaikwad also hit 46 as Chennai posted 206-6 at their home M.A. Chidambaram Stadium.

Seam bowlers Mustafizur Rahman, Deepak Chahar and Tushar Deshpande took two wickets each to help restrict Gujarat, led by Shubman Gill, to 143-8 and go down to their biggest IPL loss by runs.

Chennai's Shivam Dube top-scored with his 51 off 23 deliveries to boost the total after Ravindra and Gaikwad gave the team a quick start in their opening stand of 62.

Impact player Sai Sudharsan top-scored with 37 off 31 balls, but the rest of the Gujarat batters struggled to put up partnerships with Chennai holding onto some brilliant catches in the deep.

Captain Shubman Gill made a five-ball eight before he played Deepak Chahar (2-28) across the line and was out plumb leg before wicket in the third over of a tall chase.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who relinquished the captaincy to Ruturaj Gaikwad on the eve of the tournament, made a splendid diving catch to his right to dismiss Vijay Shankar, while Ajinkya Rahane took a blinder at deep mid-wicket to dismiss dangerous David Miller for 21.

Rachin Ravindra capped Chennai’s brilliant night with three catches in the deep as fast bowler Tushar Deshpande (2-21) and Mustafizur Rahman (2-30) kept on striking with regular intervals.

Earlier, Ravindra set the tone for Chennai with a 20-ball 46 that featured six boundaries and three sixes.

Gujarat's Afghanistan spin wizard Rashid Khan denied Ravindra his fifty as the leg-spinner had the batsman stumped while Gaikwad fell caught behind off Australia's Spencer Johnson.
Gaikwad also capitalised on a drop catch when on 1 to make 46 as he provided a solid start of 62 inside the batting power play with Ravindra.

Shivam Dube (51) then didn’t let the spinners settle down in the middle overs with a half-century off 23 balls as the left-hander dominated ace spinner Rashid Khan (2-49) and Sai Kishore.

Rashid had Ravindra stumped in the last over of the power play before the leg-spinner had to wait until his last over to dismiss Dube, who mistimed the googly and was caught at extra cover.

Sameer Rizvi, playing his first IPL season at the age of 20, showed no signs of nerves and smashed Rashid for two sixes as Chennai posted a challenging total.

Chennai had defeated Royal Challengers Bengaluru by six wickets in the season opener while Gujarat notched a six-run win over Mumbai Indians.

Gujarat, who won a title in their debut IPL season in 2022, were never in the chase after they lost Gill lbw off Chahar.
Gill took charge of the team and won his opening match on Sunday after Hardik Pandya switched to Mumbai Indians for another captain's role.
The final of the lucrative T20 tournament will be played in Chennai on May 26.

Associated Press / Agence France-Presse