First Time In 17 Years! Ruturaj Gaikwad Breaks MS Dhoni's Record For Major Feat As CSK Captain

Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shivam Dube absolutely owned the Lucknow Super Giants bowlers on Tuesday to take their team to a score of 210/4 in 20 overs. Gaikwad slammed an unbeaten ton while Shivam Dube struck a quick-fore 66 as CSK made merry at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. To add to the CSK fans' joy, MS Dhoni came out to bat too and finished off in style by hitting a boundary. Gaikwad, who took over the CSK captaincy from Dhoni this season, stayed unbeaten on 108*.

This is the first time a CSK captain has struck a century in the IPL. This is also the highest score by a CSK captain in the IPL. MS Dhoni's highest in the IPL is 84*. However, one needs to keep in mind that Gaikwad is an opener while Dhoni batter in the middle order and, hence, always had lesser number of balls.

A remarkable unbeaten hundred by captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shivam Dube's ruthless fifty formed the pillars of Chennai Super Kings' competitive 210 for four against Lucknow Super Giants. Gaikwad (108, 60b, 12x4, 3x6) and Dube (66, 27b, 3x4, 7x6) added 104 runs for an entertaining fourth-wicket stand that gave steam to Super Kings innings after a rather subdued Power Play (49/2) and the middle passage.

The CSK should primarily thank Gaikwad, who played an innings which was a connoisseur's delight, for that total after the early departure of Ajinkya Rahane, who was caught superbly by stumper KL Rahul off Matt Henry.

The batting in this iteration of the IPL has been all about scorching the ball far and wide but Gaikwad took a classic route, timing the ball through the gaps for fours.

In fact, his first fifty contained no fours but still he managed to maintain a strike-rate of above 180 during that phase.

The fifty, the right-hander's 17th in the IPL, came off