Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad has become a part of a prestigious club in the IPL. During a match against their arch-rivals Mumbai Indians, the 27-year-old batsman achieved a significant milestone by scoring his 2,000th run in the IPL.
This accomplishment came in style, with Gaikwad playing one of his most fluent innings of the season. He smashed a brilliant 69 runs off just 40 balls, including five boundaries and a whopping five sixes! His knock was all about power-hitting, with a strike rate of over 172.
In his IPL career, which has spanned 58 matches so far, Gaikwad has become a consistent run-scorer. He boasts an impressive average of nearly 40 runs per match and a strike rate of over 134. He has also shown his ability to score big runs, having registered one century and 16 fifties, with his highest score being an unbeaten 101.
This achievement places Gaikwad among the top run-scorers for the CSK franchise. He currently sits at the fourth position on this list, behind legends like Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni, and Faf du Plessis. Interestingly, Gaikwad has achieved this feat in the shortest amount of time compared to any other Indian player, reaching the 2,000-run mark in just 57 innings. Overall, he is the third fastest player to achieve this milestone, behind only Chris Gayle and Shaun Marsh.
The 2021 season was Gaikwad’s golden year with CSK. He emerged as the team’s highest run-scorer, amassing a massive 635 runs in just 16 matches. His dominant batting, which included a century and four fifties, played a crucial role in CSK’s championship victory that year. He even bagged the prestigious “Orange Cap” awarded to the tournament’s leading run-scorer.
While this season hasn’t been quite as explosive for Gaikwad so far, he has still been a valuable contributor for CSK. In the six matches played, he has scored 224 runs at an average of nearly 45 and a strike rate of over 130. He has struck two half-centuries, with his highest score being the 69 he made against Mumbai Indians. This currently places him among the top ten run-scorers of the season.
With his talent and dedication, Ruturaj Gaikwad is definitely a cricketer to watch out for in the future. He has already established himself as a key player for CSK and has the potential to achieve even greater things in the IPL and beyond.
The Mumbai Indians (MI) may not be continuing their IPL 2024 journey to the playoffs, but they've left their mark with some exceptional performances. While the team fell short this season, there's a lot to appreciate in their journey so far. Leading the pack is Jasprit Bumrah, the team's pace spearhead. He currently sits atop the IPL 2024 bowling charts with a whopping 18 wickets in just 12 games! Even more impressive is his economical bowling, maintaining a rate of just 6.20 runs per over. This is a testament to his accuracy and control, making him a true asset to the team. While Bumrah has been phenomenal, credit goes to the young talent Tilak Varma as well. The batsman has emerged as MI's highest scorer so far, amassing 384 runs with an impressive average of over 42. This bodes well for the team's future, showcasing the potential of their rising stars.
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