Cricket

In a historic feat that will be etched in the annals of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Gujarat Titans' opening duo of Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill became the first pair to score individual centuries in the same match. Their remarkable achievement came against the Chennai Super Kings, showcasing their exceptional batting prowess and dominance over the opposition's bowling attack.Sudharsan, making his IPL debut, displayed maturity beyond his years, striking a magnificent 103 off just 50 deliveries. His innings was a symphony of power and precision, featuring seven towering sixes and five elegant fours. Gill, the more experienced of the two, continued his impressive form, notching up his fourth IPL century with a blistering 104 off 50 balls. His knock was adorned with nine boundaries and six maximums.The pair's partnership was a masterclass in opening batting. They complemented each other perfectly, rotating the strike with ease and punishing loose deliveries with ruthless efficiency. Their 210-run stand equaled the record set by Lucknow Super Giants' openers Quinton de Kock and KL Rahul against Kolkata Knight Riders in 2022.The Chennai Super Kings' bowlers were left helpless as Sudharsan and Gill toyed with their attack. The duo's aggressive approach and smart cricketing strategies kept the scoreboard ticking over at a rapid pace. Their dominance was such that they both reached their centuries in the same over, a testament to their exceptional timing and coordination.Unfortunately, both batters fell shortly after reaching their milestones, as they attempted to accelerate the scoring rate. However, their contributions had already secured a memorable victory for the Gujarat Titans.This historic achievement by Sudharsan and Gill is a testament to their immense talent and the depth of batting talent in the IPL. It is a moment that will be remembered for years to come and will inspire future generations of cricketers.

Chennai Super Kings Opt to Bowl First Against Gujarat Titans in IPL ClashIn the 59th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain Ruturaj Gaikwad won the toss and elected to bowl first against Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on May 10, 2024.CSK, currently placed fourth in the standings with 12 points, made one change to their playing XI, bringing in Rachin Ravindra for Richard Gleeson. GT, who have lost seven matches in 11 outings and are languishing at the 10th spot, also made a single alteration, with Kartik Tyagi replacing Joshua Little.Speaking at the toss, Gaikwad expressed confidence in his team's ability to chase down any target. "We will bowl first. Looks a good wicket, to be honest. It's been a chasing ground, so we will look to chase. Pretty much similar to Chennai. We didn't like a red solid wicket much. Pretty relaxed. You tend to lose many games in IPL, you have to back everyone and make sure everyone is in a good head space. We had injuries in between, but happy. Rachin comes in for Gleeson," said Gaikwad.GT captain Shubman Gill admitted that his team's chances of qualifying for the playoffs are slim but vowed to fight hard. "Would have bowled first as well, looks a good wicket. There's a 1% chance of qualifying, so we are going to try hard for that. The mood is like any other match, we as a team believe in doing the best we can. Will be a good surface to bat on. Will score runs and try to restrict them. Wade comes in for Saha who has a niggle. In order to balance the team combination Kartik Tyagi comes in for Jos Little," said Gill.Teams:Chennai Super Kings (Playing XI):* Ruturaj Gaikwad (C)* Rachin Ravindra* Daryl Mitchell* Shivam Dube* Moeen Ali* Ravindra Jadeja* MS Dhoni (Wk)* Mitchell Santner* Shardul Thakur* Tushar Deshpande* Simarjeet SinghGujarat Titans (Playing XI):* Shubman Gill (C)* Sai Sudharsan* Shahrukh Khan* David Miller* Matthew Wade (Wk)* Rahul Tewatia* Rashid Khan* Noor Ahmad* Umesh Yadav* Mohit Sharma* Kartik Tyagi

Gujarat Titans' skipper Shubman Gill clings to a glimmer of hope as his team faces an uphill battle to qualify for the IPL playoffs. Despite languishing at the bottom of the table, the Titans are mathematically still alive, with a mere one percent chance of making the top four.Gill expressed his optimism at the toss against Chennai Super Kings on Friday, stating, "There's 1 percent chance of qualifying, so we are going to try hard for that." He acknowledged that the mood in the dressing room is positive, with the team determined to perform to the best of their abilities.Chennai Super Kings skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad won the toss and elected to bowl first. CSK made one change to their lineup, bringing in Rachin Ravindra for Richard Gleeson. GT made several changes, with Matthew Wade replacing the injured Wriddhiman Saha and Kartik Tyagi making his debut in place of Joshua Little.The Titans' chances of making the playoffs are slim, but they are not yet mathematically eliminated. They will need to win their remaining matches and hope that other results go their way. Gill's positive attitude and the team's determination could potentially inspire them to overcome the odds and secure a spot in the top four.

The upcoming clash between Gujarat Titans (GT) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Ahmedabad holds immense significance for both teams. In the previous season's final, CSK emerged victorious, claiming their fifth IPL title. However, the tables have turned this year, with CSK currently occupying fourth place in the standings while GT languishes at the bottom.GT's struggles have been compounded by injuries to key players Mohammed Shami and Hardik Pandya. The onus now falls on captain Shubman Gill to inspire his team with both his batting and leadership. Gill, the reigning Orange Cap winner, has amassed 322 runs in 11 matches, but his opening partner Wriddhiman Saha has underperformed.GT's batting has been anchored by Tamil Nadu batter Sai Sudharsan, who has scored 424 runs in 11 matches. However, the middle-order, including David Miller, Shahrukh Khan, and Rahul Tewatia, needs to step up.In contrast, CSK's bowling attack has been impressive, with pacers Mustafizur Rahman and Matheesha Pathirana leading the charge. Spinners have also played a crucial role, keeping the opposition batters in check.CSK's batting has been led by captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, who has scored 541 runs in 11 matches. Veteran Mahendra Singh Dhoni remains a key figure, and his presence on the field is sure to electrify the Ahmedabad crowd.With the first two qualifiers scheduled to be played in Ahmedabad, the crowd will have the opportunity to witness Dhoni's brilliance once again. The clash between GT and CSK promises to be a thrilling encounter, with both teams desperate for a victory to boost their playoff hopes.

The Gujarat Titans, under the leadership of Hardik Pandya, achieved remarkable success in the Indian Premier League (IPL), reaching consecutive finals in 2022 and 2023. However, the team's fortunes have taken a downturn under the captaincy of Shubman Gill this season, as they find themselves at the bottom of the table with seven losses and only four wins in 11 games.A significant challenge for the Titans has been the lack of runs from Gill. In the last five outings, Gill has struggled to make an impact with the bat, registering three single-digit scores and a highest score of only 35. This dip in form has added to the team's woes and contributed to their disappointing performance this season.Gujarat Titans batting coach Gary Kirsten, however, felt that Gill has enjoyed the leadership role, but captaincy is something that takes time to master. "I think he's enjoyed the captaincy, it's something that takes time to really master, but I think he's enjoyed it this season," Kirsten said. "He's a world-class player, I have no doubt that in the next three games he's going to put in one or two really good performances."Kirsten also acknowledged the challenge of replacing the injured Mohammed Shami, who has been a pivotal pace weapon for the team, particularly during the powerplay overs, over the past two seasons. "I think you do miss players. Obviously someone like a Shami who was big for us in the last two years, that kind of a player is difficult to replace. You can't replace world-class bowlers like that.""There are some talented young bowlers in our group, but it takes time to find your feet against guys that are wanting to trade every ball for six."The South African said the Powerplay has exposed the bowling of many teams this season. "That's an area where I think all the teams have been exposed. The powerplay has been a tough place to bowl this season. But saying that, a little bit in the wicket, you nick a few batters off and anything can happen.""Ahmedabad is traditionally a wicket that does a little bit up-front. So, tomorrow it could turn around and the seamers can get some wickets for us and we can get 2-3 wickets quite quickly and then the whole game changes."GT are technically still in the mix though with a maximum tally of 14 points, it would be very difficult for them to qualify. Kirsten wants his team to produce a "solid" show in the last 3 games. "We haven't played the kind of cricket we know that we can play. There are certain components of our game that haven't been as consistent as in the past. So for the last three games, we just want to play solid cricket in all departments of the game, because if you don't, you'll get exposed.""So hopefully one or two guys put in some match-winning performances tomorrow and we can play a good game of cricket."Kirsten said his team will need to find a way to take wickets in the Powerplay so that spinners can come into the picture. "If we bowl reasonably well in the power play, it helps our spinners big time because then the spinners can bowl to new batters, which makes a big difference."As a purist who values the balance between bat and ball, Kirsten is concerned about the overwhelming dominance of batters in the current IPL season. He urges the BCCI to explore ways to restore equilibrium between batting and bowling in the league.This season has been particularly challenging for bowlers, with IPL teams achieving 250-plus totals on eight occasions, indicating a significant advantage for the batsmen. Kirsten's sentiments reflect a broader concern within the cricketing community regarding the need to maintain the integrity and competitiveness of the game by ensuring a fair balance between batting and bowling prowess in T20 cricket.

Shubman Gill, the promising Indian batter and captain of Gujarat Titans, has faced a dip in form in the ongoing IPL 2024 season. Despite a strong start, Gill has struggled to maintain consistency, with his last significant score of 50+ runs coming on April 10 against Rajasthan Royals. Since then, he has been dismissed for single-digit scores on three occasions.Gill's struggles have raised concerns, especially considering his omission from the T20 World Cup squad. However, former India opener Virender Sehwag has expressed confidence in Gill's ability to bounce back. Sehwag believes that Gill should draw inspiration from legendary batsmen like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, and VVS Laxman, who never allowed a dip in form to derail their careers."He should focus on scoring runs at a good strike-rate so he doesn't get replaced," Sehwag advised. "He has to learn from the greats who never gave a reason to get dropped."Gill's struggles have coincided with Gujarat Titans' poor performance in IPL 2024. The team, which won the title in 2022 and finished runners-up last year, currently languishes at the ninth spot in the table with just four wins from 11 games.One of the Titans' major weaknesses has been their performance during the Powerplay, particularly with the bat. Against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Saturday, they posted the lowest Powerplay total of any team this season, scoring only 23 runs. Their Powerplay run-rate of 7.54 and strike-rate of 118.43 are the lowest among all teams in IPL 2024.Addressing their underwhelming performance in the Powerplay will be crucial for the Titans if they are to salvage their season and make a late push for a playoff spot.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Gujarat Titans (GT) are set to face off in a crucial Indian Premier League (IPL) match at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday. Ahead of the highly anticipated encounter, GT skipper Shubman Gill paid a surprise visit to the RCB dressing room, where he was greeted by former RCB captain Virat Kohli.In a lighthearted moment captured on video, Kohli playfully teased Gill, saying, "Badi jaldi aaya practice pe (you came very soon for practice)." The duo exchanged a few more words before Gill departed.Both GT and RCB have endured disappointing seasons thus far. RCB languishes at the bottom of the 10-team table with just three wins in 10 matches, while Gujarat has fared slightly better at No. 8 with four wins in 10 matches.Gujarat, who won the IPL title in their debut season in 2022 and finished runners-up in 2023 under the captaincy of Hardik Pandya, have struggled to replicate their success this season. RCB, on the other hand, has never won the IPL despite boasting a star-studded lineup.Kohli, who stepped down as RCB captain after the 2021 season, has been in impressive form this season. He is currently No. 2 in the list of run-getters with 500 runs in 10 matches, behind Chennai Super Kings captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, who has scored 509 runs in 10 matches.The match between RCB and GT promises to be a thrilling contest, with both teams desperate for a victory to revive their playoff hopes. Kohli's form and Gill's leadership will be key factors to watch in this crucial encounter.

India's T20 World Cup Squad Selection: Rohit Sharma and Ajit Agarkar Address MediaOn Thursday, India captain Rohit Sharma and chief selector Ajit Agarkar held a press conference to discuss the recently announced T20 World Cup 2024 squad. The duo addressed various questions regarding the selection process, including the omission of Rinku Singh and Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli's strike rate, and the wicket-keeping choices.Rinku Singh and Shubman Gill SnubAgarkar acknowledged that leaving out Rinku Singh and Shubman Gill was a difficult decision. He emphasized that both players had performed well, but the selection was based on team combinations.Virat Kohli's Strike RateAgarkar and Rohit dismissed concerns about Virat Kohli's strike rate, stating that it was not a factor in his selection. They highlighted his experience and ability to perform at the highest level.Wicket-Keeping ChoicesSanju Samson and Rishabh Pant were selected as wicket-keepers, while KL Rahul was omitted. Agarkar explained that Rahul's role as an opener for his IPL franchise influenced the decision.Shivam Dube's SelectionDespite not bowling regularly in the IPL, Shivam Dube was included in the squad. Rohit attributed this to his all-round abilities and his previous performances for India.Hardik Pandya's Form and Vice-CaptaincyAgarkar and Rohit expressed satisfaction with Hardik Pandya's fitness and form. They hoped he would continue to improve in the remaining IPL matches. They also stated that there had been no discussions regarding his vice-captaincy.ConclusionThe press conference provided insights into the selection process for India's T20 World Cup squad. The selectors emphasized the importance of team combinations, experience, and versatility in their decision-making.

Legendary Indian cricketer Krishnamachari Srikkanth has expressed his disappointment over the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) decision to overlook Chennai Super Kings skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024.Gaikwad, who is currently the highest run-scorer in IPL 2024 with over 500 runs in 17 innings, was surprisingly left out of the Indian squad. Srikkanth believes that Gaikwad's impressive performances, including a century against Australia, warranted his inclusion in the team.In contrast, Shubman Gill, who has been struggling for form in all formats, has been added to the reserve list. Srikkanth accused the team management of "favouritism" and questioned Gill's selection ahead of Gaikwad."Shubman Gill is totally out of form, but why is he selected in the team? There's no doubt that Ruturaj Gaikwad deserves a place. He scored more than 500 runs in 17 innings. Also, he scored a century against Australia. Shubman Gill is selectors' delight. He gets a chance even if he fails. He finds a place even if he fails in Tests, ODIs, and T20s. There's too much favouritism in selection. The team selection is all about favouritism," Srikkanth said in a video on his YouTube channel 'Cheeky Chekka.'Srikkanth's criticism echoes the sentiments of many fans and experts who believe that Gaikwad's omission is a major oversight. The 26-year-old opener has been in excellent form in recent months and has proven his ability to score runs consistently at the highest level.The BCCI's decision to overlook Gaikwad has also raised questions about the selection criteria for the Indian team. Critics argue that the selectors are biased towards certain players and that performance is not always the primary factor in team selection.The exclusion of Rinku Singh, another in-form batsman, from the T20 World Cup squad has also drawn criticism. Singh has been in impressive form for Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2024 and many believe he deserved a place in the Indian team.The BCCI has not yet responded to Srikkanth's allegations of favouritism. However, the team management will be under pressure to justify their decision to leave out Gaikwad and Singh from the T20 World Cup squad.