Ruturaj Gaikwad’s historic feat came on a special day for CSK, marking the anniversary of their inaugural IPL match at Chepauk. Batting first, CSK lost Ajinkya Rahane early, but Gaikwad forged a crucial partnership with Daryl Mitchell. After Mitchell’s departure, Gaikwad steadied the innings with Ravindra Jadeja, who struggled for momentum.
Unleashing his explosive batting, Gaikwad accelerated the innings, reaching his fifty in just 28 balls. His innings featured 11 boundaries and three sixes, including a powerful six off Marcus Stoinis that broke the momentum lull. Gaikwad’s brilliance continued, with another six off Mohsin Khan taking him to 99 and a boundary sealing his historic century in 56 balls.
Beyond his maiden century, Gaikwad also became the Chennai batter with the most 50-plus scores, surpassing Faf du Plessis’ previous record of 16. His exceptional performance propelled him to second place in the Orange Cap standings, behind only Virat Kohli, and marked his second IPL century after his maiden ton in the 2021 season for CSK.
