Gill's 63 guides the holders sail home after Gaikwad's 92 helps CSK post 178
AHMEDABAD: The template set by Gujarat Titans last season - allowing Wriddhiman Saha to go all out in the Powerplay overs and Shubman Gill to play himself in before going for his shots - was visible again as Gill's sublime knock of 63 and Rashid Khan's allround display helped the Titans began their defence of the IPL trophy by easing to a five-wicket win over four-time champions Chennai Super Kings on the opening night.
After Gill was caught by Ruturaj Gaikwad off Tushar Deshpande's bowling, the Titans needed 41 off five overs. Three tight overs meant the Titans needed to score 23 off 12 balls. Khan hit a six over long off before edging a four over third man in the penultimate over of Deepak Chahar before Tewatia smashed ten runs in the last over to seal matters in favour of Titans.
After pacer Deepak Chahar bowled a probing opening over, Saha and Gill plundered 15 runs off the bowling of Tushar Deshpande, introduced as the first impact player this season for Ambati Rayudu. Saha hit another six and a four in his knock of 25 off 16 balls before he was caught off a leading edge at third man by Shivam Dube off pacer Rajvardhan Hangargekar.
An injury to Kane Williamson while attempting a catch of Gaikwad in the first innings meant the New Zealander could not bat and allowed Titans to introduce Sai Sudarshan, their impact player. Sudarshan and Gill added 53 for the second wicket in 5.4 overs. Gill hit a six off Deshpande's bowling before lifting Jadeja inside out to continue his good form.
Earlier, Kings' opener Gaikwad put on display a dazzling array of stroke play to take the visitors to 178/7.
After a glitzy opening ceremony which saw Bollywood stars enthrall the audience with music and dance, Gaikwad (92 off 50 balls, 4x4, 9x6) showed no mercy to any of the Titans' bowlers as he raced to his half-century off 23 balls. His range of sixes included two between cover and mid-off off Titans captain Hardik Pandya and three on the leg side off West Indian Alzarri Joseph.
After Titans won the toss and opted to field, Mohammed Shami began the proceedings with a tight opening over. Gaikwad then got into the groove, hitting two boundaries of Pandya's first over -the first a tuck off the hips and the second a sublime punch through the covers.
At the other end, Shami castled Gaikwad's partner Devon Conway with a ball that came back in slightly off the pitch. Joshua Little, who is the first player from Ireland to appear in the IPL, was then greeted with a six and a four by Gaikwad. Number three batter Moeen Ali (23) too joined in the fun by slashing him over the point region for a boundary.
Leg spinner Rashid Khan took his first wicket in powerplay since IPL 2021 by having Ali caught behind off a wrong 'un. Ali's exit brought England Test captain Ben Stokes (7) to the mix. Stokes hit a four off Khan but was caught behind the next ball, leaving Super Kings 70/3 in 7.4 overs.
The fall of wickets notwithstanding, Gaikwad continued finding the boundaries and helped his team reach 100 in 11 overs with a flicked six over the square-leg.
