Chennai Super Kings bounced back from two consecutive defeats as skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad won the toss and elected to field first in their stronghold.
The yellow-clad squad made an impressive start when young paceman Tushar Deshpande dismissed Kolkata’s opener Phil Salt on the very first delivery.
Despite a solid partnership between Sunil Narine and Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Chennai regained momentum when Ravindra Jadeja removed both batsmen in the seventh over. With key wickets falling, Kolkata struggled to accelerate, ultimately posting a modest total of 137/9.
Chennai’s opening pair of Rachin Ravindra and Ruturaj Gaikwad got off to a strong start, reaching 26/0 in three overs. However, Kolkata struck early in the fourth over, dismissing Ravindra.
Ruturaj Gaikwad, along with Daryl Mitchell, consolidated the innings, pushing the score to 89/1 after 11 overs. Gaikwad showcased his form with a stylish fifty in just 25 deliveries.
Jadeja Teasing Fans by coming out to bat ahead of Thala 🤣🤣💛 pic.twitter.com/CAN6H5xgEs
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Russell 🤣💛 pic.twitter.com/oqsL1aZ7Ew
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Despite losing Mitchell in the 13th over, Shivam Dube’s quickfire cameo and Gaikwad’s steady innings brought Chennai to the brink of victory. With MS Dhoni joining Gaikwad at the crease, Chennai cruised to victory with 14 balls to spare, securing a clinical win.