A depleted Chennai Super Kings bowling attack was taken to the cleaners by the Gujarat Titans openers on a featherbed clay pitch at the Narendra Modi Stadium on a sultry Friday evening. By the time of going to press, Chennai had lost three wickets for 57 runs in the seventh over while chasing the imposing Titans’s score of 231-3.

The new opening pairing of Sai Sudharsan (103, 51 balls, 5x4, 7x6, 201.96 strike rate) and Shubman Gill (104, 55 balls, 9x4, 6x6, 189.9 strike rate) was fruitful for the home team which were sent in to bat after Ruturaj Gaikwad won the toss. Sudharsan used the slog sweep to pronounced effect for his seven hits over the ropes. He even swept seamer Simarjeet Singh over long leg for his first Indian Premier League hundred.