IPL 2021 Final: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Faf du Plessis Were Exceptional’ – Sunil Gavaskar After CSK Post Mammoth 192/3 in Dubai

CSK vs KKR, IPL 2021 Final: Gavaskar heaped praise on Gaikwad and du Plessis for playing brilliantly in the powerplay and setting up the platform

Dubai: Ruturaj Gaikwad and Faf du Plessis lived up to the billing as they put on a 61-run stand for the opening wicket against KKR in the IPL final on Friday in Dubai. Ex-India opener Sunil Gavaskar heaped praise on Gaikwad and du Plessis for playing brilliantly in the powerplay and setting up the platform for a mammoth score of 192 for three.

“Ruturaj Gaikwad and Faf du Plessis were exceptional. They gave the ideal start for the CSK side in the powerplay and that could make all the difference. The best part was that they did not play rash shots in the powerplay and yet got the runs. One has to admit that the KKR bowlers were not up to the mark,” Gavaskar said on Star Sports during the innings break.

The 193 chase will not be an easy one for KKR also because it is the summit clash. Knight Riders fans would hope their openers Shubman Gill and Venjatesh Iyer do something similar to what their CSK counterparts did.

CSK opener Gaikwad also gave fans a glimpse into his mindset during his knock.

“I thought I should take on spin as I am a good player of spin. Faf also played lesser balls up front. It is stopping a little. We did brilliantly to get to 192 by hitting some brilliant sixes, off good balls too. We need to bowl well and back it up with the fielding. I wanted him (Faf) to hit that six and add those six important runs (for Orange Cap),” said Gaikwad at the innings break after confirming the Orange Cap for the season with 635 runs.