The match-winning knock against
Delhi Capitals in the
Indian Premier League game on Tuesday has earned
Gujarat Titans’ batter Sai Sudharsan a lot of plaudits, including from India legend and former coach
Anil Kumble.
Chasing a below-par 163, the 21-year-old Sudharsan anchored the chase with a calm and composed 62 not out as the Titans won by six wickets with 11 balls to spare at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday.
“He looked like a very organised player. Good against fast bowling, good against swing. He came into the first game as an impact player and certainly created an impact, he played a cameo,” the former India captain and coach told official broadcaster JioCinema.
“Today, it was three-down and all the big stars gone. Shubman Gill was gone, (Wriddhiman) Saha got out, and his captain Hardik Pandya got out. Both the Tamil Nadu guys (Vijay Shankar and Sudharsan) got together and put together a partnership.”
Mohammed Shami (3/41 in 4 overs) and Alzarri Joseph (2/29 in 4 overs) were brilliant in the first 10 overs for Titans before while Rashid Khan (3/31 in 4 overs) took over to restrict DC to a chaseable score.
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IPL 2023: Gujarat Titans beat Delhi Capitals to go top
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<p>Sai Sudharsan’s half-century and a whirlwind cameo by David Miller powered holders Gujarat Titans to a six-wicket win over Delhi Capitals on Tuesday. </p>
<p>Chasing 163 for victory, Sudharsan (62*) and Miller (31*) put together an unbeaten stand of 56 to steer their team home with 11 balls to spare. </p>
<p>Delhi batsmen never really got going despite skipper David Warner’s 37 and a quickfire 36 from Axar Patel as they posted a below-par total. </p>
<p>Mohammed Shami gave away runs at the start before he found his groove with the two key wickets of Prithvi Shaw and Mitchell Marsh. </p>
<p>Warner fell to Alzarri Joseph as he chopped on to his stumps. </p>
<p>Joseph bowled at a lively pace and dismissed Rilee Rossouw for a first-ball duck. </p>
<p>Rashid Khan claimed the wicket of Sarfaraz Khan who struggled to a 34-ball 30. </p>
<p>Coming in at No. 7, Axar took on the bowlers with three sixes and two fours in his 22-ball innings but could not haul Delhi to a big enough total. </p>
<p>Shami and Rashid took three wickets each to restrict Delhi to 162/8. </p>
<p>Gujarat were in early trouble after an excellent spell of fast bowling by Anrich Nortje, but Sudharsan stood firm in his team’s second straight victory. </p>
<p>Nortje removed both Gujarat openers, including bowling Shubman Gill for 14. </p>
<p>Left-arm quick Khaleel Ahmed then got skipper Hardik Pandya caught behind for 5. </p>
<p>But Vijay Shankar replaced Ireland fast bowler Josh Little under the new “impact player” rule and joined Sudharsan in the middle to revive the chase. </p>
<p>Marsh broke the dangerous-looking stand of 53 after he trapped Shankar lbw for 29 but Sudharsan and Miller completed the job. </p>
<p>Miller, who replaced the injured Kane Williamson in the XI, played his part with a 16-ball blitz. </p>
“Gujarat has always created that aura about themselves ‘we’ll restrict you to 160 and get that’. With an impact player, it makes it even easier for them. Sai Sudharsan constructed the innings perfectly,” Kumble said.
The defending champions will face Kolkata Knight Riders on April 9 in a home game at Ahmedabad.
(With agency inputs)
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