The Barsapara Cricket Stadium is an international cricket venue located in Guwahati, Assam.

Also known as Dr. Bhupen Hazarika Cricket Stadium or the Assam Cricket Association Stadium, the Barsapara Cricket Stadium was established in 2012 and has a seating capacity of around 40,000.

Owned and operated by the Assam Cricket Association, it became India's 49th international cricket venue. 

The Barsapara Cricket Stadium staged its first international cricket match, a T20 played between hosts India and Australia in October 2017. Led by David Warner, Australia won the game by eight wickets. 

It later hosted its first One-Day International (ODI) featuring India and West Indies in October 2018. The hosts won the match convincingly by eight wickets.

Since then, Barsapara Cricket Stadium has staged four T20Is and two ODIs so far.

Apart from international matches, it has also staged several Indian T20 League matches and other T20 matches in domestic as well as at club levels.

Let’s have a closer look at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium T20 records and stats.

Barsapara Cricket Stadium T20 records and stats

Highest total

The Indian cricket team holds the record for the highest total at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in T20 cricket. During the second T20I of South Africa’s tour of India in October 2022, the Rohit Sharma-led hosts posted 237/3 in their 20 overs after being put into bat. India rode on fifties from Suryakumar Yadav (61 not out) and KL Rahul (57) along with contributions from Virat Kohli (49 not out) and Rohit Sharma (43) to post a record T20 total at the venue in Guwahati. In reply, South Africa scored 221/3 in their allotted overs and fell short by just 16 runs. India won the three match T20I series 2-1.

Lowest total

The Services cricket team registered the lowest total at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in the T20 format. Put into bat, Services could only manage 90/8 in their 20 overs against Bengal during a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Elite Group match in November 2021. Wicketkeeper-batter Devender Lochab top-scored for Services with 34 not out. For Bengal, left-arm spinner Pradipta Pramanik was the wrecker-in-chief with 2/16 in his quota of four overs. Bengal later chased down the target in just 10.5 overs to register a nine-wicket victory in Guwahati.

Most runs

Indian cricketer Ajinkya Rahane has scored the most runs at the venue in T20 cricket. Representing Mumbai, the stylish right-handed batter amassed 163 runs in three matches at an average of 54.33 and a strike rate of 141.73 in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2021. His former teammate Manish Pandey features second on the list with 146 runs in six games at this ground in T20 format.

Most wickets

Shubham Agarwal, Mohit Avasthi and Krishnappa Gowtham share the record for the most wickets at this cricket ground in the T20 format. Playing for Chhattisgarh, Shubham Agarwal bagged seven wickets in just two T20 matches at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium. On the other hand, Mumbai right-arm medium pacer Mohit Avasthi also claimed seven scalps in three T20 games at this venue. Meanwhile, Karnataka right-arm off-spinner Krishnappa Gowtham also featured in the list with seven wickets in four T20 matches at this venue.

Highest individual score

India’s Ruturaj Gaikwad holds the record for the highest individual score at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in T20 cricket. Opening the batting, Ruturaj Gaikwad slammed an unbeaten 123 off just 57 balls against Australia in the third T20I of a five-match T20I series in 2023. His scintillating knock was laced with 13 fours and seven maximums to power India to 222/3 in their 20 overs. However, Ruturaj’s magnificent ton went in vain as Australia chased down the target to secure a five-wicket win in Guwahati.

Best bowling figures

Chhattisgarh spinner Shubham Agarwal has the best bowling figures at this venue in the T20 format. The talented leg-spinner registered match-winning figures of 5/13 against Services during a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Elite Group B match in 2021. Defending 176, Shubham Agarwal dismissed Anshul Gupta, Vikas Hathwala, Sachidanand Pandey, Devender Lochab and Rahul Singh to bowl out Services for 141 in 19.5 overs. Earlier, Chhattisgarh scored 176/3 in their allotted overs to win the match by 35 runs.

Highest partnership

South Africa’s Quinton de Kock and David Miller hold the record for the highest partnership at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in T20 cricket. Chasing 238, South Africa were reduced to 47/3 in 6.2 overs against India in the second T20I of a three-match series in October 2022. Later, Quinton de Kock and David Miller stitched an unbeaten 174-run stand for the fourth wicket in Guwahati. While de Kock scored 69 not out, Miller remained unbeaten on a 47-ball 106. Despite their incredible partnership, South Africa lost the game by 16 runs. 

Photo credit: Alamy

Virat Kohli holds the record for the most centuries in T20 by an Indian. 

Considered to be one the greatest batters in limited-overs cricket, Virat Kohli has slammed nine centuries in T20 format. 

Captain Rohit Sharma features second on the list for the most centuries in T20 by an Indian. 

Widely acknowledged as one of the greatest opening batters of all time, Rohit Sharma has registered eight centuries in T20 cricket.

The likes of Ruturaj Gaikwad, KL Rahul and Suryakumar Yadav share the third spot for the most centuries in T20 by an Indian. All three have smashed six T20 hundreds in cricket’s shortest format. Get top 10 list of most centuries in T20 by an Indian.

Most centuries in T20 by an Indian: Get top 10 list

Player	Span	Matches	Centuries
Virat Kohli	2007-2024	387	9
Rohit Sharma	2007-2024	438	8
Ruturaj Gaikwad	2017-2024	133	6
KL Rahul	2013-2024	223	6
Suryakumar Yadav	2010-2024	279	6
Shubman Gill	2018-2024	137	5
Suresh Raina	2006-2021	336	4
Unmukt Chand	2010-2023	    84	3
Yashasvi Jaiswal	2020-2024	92	3
Abhishek Sharma	2018-2024	99	3

Virat Kohli | 9 T20 centuries

Virat Kohli tops the list of most centuries in T20 by an Indian. Since making his T20 debut in 2007, Kohli has amassed over 12,000 runs in more than 350 T20s, including nine T20 centuries and 95 fifties to his name. The former Bengaluru captain also holds the record for most centuries in Indian T20 League history. Kohli has already recorded eight hundreds for Team Bengaluru in the Indian T20 League. In international cricket, the former India captain has slammed just a solitary T20 century against Afghanistan during a Super Four clash in Asia Cup 2022 in Dubai. Kohli remained unbeaten on 122 off just 61 balls which powered India to a 101-run victory. 

Rohit Sharma | 8 T20 centuries

Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma has recorded eight T20 centuries so far. Between 2007 and 2024, Rohit Sharma has scored more than 11,000 runs in more than 400 T20s at a strike rate of 134.30. Having made his T20I debut against England in 2007, the right-handed batter has scored five T20I centuries - sharing the record for most centuries in T20I cricket with Australia’s Glenn Maxwell. Interestingly, Rohit is the first Indian cricketer to score a T20 century in domestic cricket. He scored unbeaten 45-ball 101 off 45 for Mumbai against Gujarat in the Inter State Twenty-20 Tournament (now Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy) in 2007. Meanwhile, Rohit has smashed two centuries for Mumbai in the Indian T20 League.    

Ruturaj Gaikwad, KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav | 6 T20 centuries

Ruturaj Gaikwad, KL Rahul and Suryakumar Yadav have the joint third-most centuries in T20 by an Indian. All three top Indian batters have slammed six T20 centuries so far. Ruturaj Gaikwad, the youngest of the three, has accumulated over 4,000 runs with six T20 hundred and 31 fifties to his name. Gaikwad has also scored a T20I hundred (123 not out off 57 balls) against Australia in 2023. KL Rahul has two T20 international centuries in 72 matches that he has played. Additionally, Rahul has hammered four centuries in the Indian T20 League. Meanwhile, Suryakumar Yadav has slammed four T20Is centuries since making his T20I debut in 2021. Furthermore, Suryakumar has hit two T20 hundreds in the high-profile Indian T20 League so far.

Photo credit: Alamy

While representing Maharashtra against Uttar Pradesh in a 2022 Vijay Hazare Trophy quarter-final in November, batter Ruturaj Gaikwad smashed 7 sixes in an over.

As a result, Ruturaj became the first batter to do so in limited-overs (List-A) cricket. During a quarter-final clash against Uttar Pradesh, Ruturaj produced a sensational knock by scoring an unbeaten 220 off just 159 balls.

His inning saw him hit 10 four and 16 maximums and seven of those sixes came in the penultimate over of the first innings off the bat of Ruturaj.

The bowler on the receiving end of Ruturaj’s belligerent onslaught was Uttar Pradesh’s Shiva Singh. 

After being hit for four consecutive sixes in the 49th over, Shiva Singh bowled a no-ball in the fifth delivery which was also powered over the ropes by Ruturaj Gaikwad. 

The final two legitimate deliveries of the over were also hit for maximums as Ruturaj Gaikwad brought up his double ton and became the first player to hit 7 sixes in an over in limited-overs cricket.

The right-hand batter’s knock helped Maharashtra post 330/5 on the scoreboard before going on to register a comfortable 58-run win.

Ruturaj Gaikwad’s 7 sixes in an over took him past Zimbabwe’s Elton Chigumbura, who had smashed 39 runs in one over in a 2013 Dhaka Premier Division game.

The total of 43 runs from the over is the joint-most expensive over in List-A cricket history. Northern Districts Brett Hampton and Joe Carter are the joint-record holders for most expensive overs in List-A cricket after the pair smashed Central Districts�Willem Ludick for 43 in a Ford Trophy fixture in 2018. 

Most sixes in an over

Player	Team	Opposition	Year
Sir Garfield SobersÂ	Nottinghamshire	Glamorgan	1968
Ravi Shastri	Bombay	Baroda	1985
Herschelle Gibbs	South Africa	Netherlands	2007
Yuvraj Singh	India	England	2007
Ross Whiteley	Worcestershire Rapids	Yorkshire Vikings	2017
Hazratullah Zazai	Kabul Zwanan	Balkh Legends	2018
Leo Carter	Canterbury Knights	Northern Knights	2020
Kieron Pollard	West Indies	Sri Lanka	2021
Thisara Perera	Sri Lanka Army	Bloomfield Cricket and Athletic Club	2021
Jaskaran Malhotra	USA	Papua New Guinea	2021
Rururaj Gaikwad	Maharashtra	Uttar Pradesh	2022

As far as international cricket is concerned, no player has managed to strike more than six maximums in an over. 

The likes of Herschelle Gibbs, Kieron Pollard, Yuvraj Singh, and Indian-origin American cricketer Jaskaran Malhotra are the only cricketers to have done so in limited-overs cricket.

Meanwhile, players like Ross Whiteley, Hazratullah Zazai, Leo Carter, and Thisara Perera have smashed six maximums in an over in domestic cricket.

Photo credit: Alamy

After securing an impressive 1-0 win in the three-match unofficial Test series, India A will host New Zealand A in a three-match unofficial ODI series starting on Thursday, September 22.

India’s wicket-keeper batter Sanju Samson has been appointed the captain of the 16-man ODI squad. The Kerala-born cricketer earlier failed to make the cut for India’s senior squad for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 scheduled to be held in Australia in October-November. 

India internationals Prithvi Shaw and Ruturaj Gaikwad are some of the big names included in the batting department. Meanwhile, Shardul Thakur, Umran Malik and Kuldeep Yadav are added to bolster the bowling attack.

India’s 2022 U-19 World Cup star Raj Angad Bawa has received his maiden India-A call-up following his impressive showing in the marquee youth tournament. Raj Angad Bawa amassed 252 runs and claimed nine wickets in five matches in the recent U-19 World Cup.

Meanwhile, New Zealand A will be led by Tom Bruce. The visitors will look to bounce back after suffering a 0-1 defeat in the three-match unofficial Test series against the Priyank Panchal-led hosts.

All eyes will once again be on New Zealand’s Joe Carter, who was the leading run-scorer in the unofficial Test series. Carter amassed 347 runs in three matches at an average of 69.40. New Zealand international Rachin Ravindra has been the wrecker-in-chief for the Kiwis, picking seven wickets in three matches.

The three-match unofficial ODI series will be played at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

India A vs New Zealand A 2022 ODI squads

India A: Sanju Samson (captain/wicket-keeper), KS Bharat (wicket-keeper), Prithvi Shaw, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rahul Tripathi, Rajat Patidar, Kuldeep Yadav, Shabhaz Ahmed, Rahul Chahar, Tilak Varma, Kuldeep Sen, Shardul Thakur, Umran Malik, Navdeep Saini, Raj Angad Bawa

New Zealand A: Tom Bruce (captain), Robbie O’Donnell, Joe Carter, Chad Bowes, Mark Chapman, Jacob Duffy, Dane Cleaver (wicket-keeper), Matt Fisher, Cameron Fletcher (wicket-keeper), Ben Lister, Michael Rippon, Rachin Ravindra, Sean Solia, Joe Walker, Logan van Beek

India A vs New Zealand A 2022 schedule and live match times

All times are in India Standard Time (IST)

Day and Date	Match	Time (IST)	Venue
Thursday, September 22	India A vs New Zealand, 1st unofficial ODI	10:00 AM IST	MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
Sunday, September 25	India A vs New Zealand, 2nd unofficial ODI	10:00 AM IST	MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
Tuesday, September 27	India A vs New Zealand, 2nd unofficial ODI	10:00 AM IST	MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai

Where to watch India A vs New Zealand 2022 ODI series live in India?  

The India A vs New Zealand A 2022 unofficial ODI series will be telecast live on Star Sports Network’s TV channels in India.

Live streaming of the India A vs New Zealand A 2022 unofficial ODI series will be available on Disney+ Hotstar app and website. 

Interested in cricket betting? Click here to check out the list of top sites.

Featured photo: CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP

Wicketkeeper-batsman Shreevats Goswami was the first player to win the Indian T20 League Emerging Player of the Year honour. He won the award while representing Team Bangalore in the 2008 edition.

Goswami won the award after scoring 82 runs (including a half-century) followed by four dismissals (two caught, two stumpings) in four matches. He featured for Bangalore in the first three seasons of the Indian T20 League before going on to represent Kolkata, Rajasthan and Hyderabad in the competition.

Rohit Sharma is second on the list of Indian T20 League Emerging Player of the Year awardees. The current Mumbai skipper was given the honour for his pivotal performances in Team Deccan’s charge to win the 2009 edition. Rohit hit 362 runs in 16 matches and grabbed 11 wickets. This was his best return as a part-time bowler.

The likes of Saurabh Tiwary (2010), Iqbal Abdulla (2011) and Mandeep Singh (2012) went on to win the honour in the next three editions.

Bangladesh’s Mustafizur Rahman is the only overseas player to win the Indian T20 League Emerging Player of the Year award. The pacer claimed the honour for his haul of 17 wickets in 16 matches in his debut campaign in 2016. Rahman’s exploits proved handy as his Hyderabad team would go on to win the league title.

Ruturaj Gaikwad, who won the Orange Cap last season, also returned home as the Indian T20 League Emerging Player of the Year. 

The 25-year-old slammed 635 runs at an average of 45.35 in the 2021 edition, with a century and four fifties to his name. He hit a 27-ball 32 in the 2021 final against Kolkata and capped off a fine season with a winners medal.

Indian T20 League Emerging Player of the Year: Complete list

Player	Edition
Shreevats Goswami	2008
Rohit Sharma	2009
Saurabh Tiwary	2010
Iqbal Abdulla	2011
Mandeep Singh	2012
Sanju Samson	2013
Axar Patel	2014
Shreyas Iyer	2015
Mustafizur Rahman	2016
Basil Thampi	2017
Rishabh Pant	2018
Shubman Gill	2019
Devdutt Padikkal	2020
Ruturaj Gaikwad	2021

Author: William Paul

Featured photo: AFP / ISHARA S. KODIKARA

Defending champions Team Chennai will look to continue their dominant run in the upcoming edition of the Indian T20 League starting March 26.

Under MS Dhoni, Chennai grew into of the most successful Indian T20 League franchises, featuring in nine finals - the most by any franchise in the tournament’s history and winning four titles, one less than Team Mumbai who have claimed five titles so far.

Ahead of the 15th edition of the Indian T20 League, Chennai have a new captain in Ravindra Jadeja and have managed to assemble a major part of their core squad that was successful in helping the side clinch their fourth Indian T20 League title in UAE last year.

The team will eye back-to-back titles this season and here we analyze what they have in the offering for the 2022 season.

Team Chennai squad

Before the Indian T20 League 2022 mega auction, Chennai retained their now-former captain MS Dhoni (INR 12 crore), all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja (INR 16 crore), Moeen Ali (INR 8 crore) and opening batter Ruturaj Gaikwad (INR 6 crore) for the next three editions of the tournament.

 

After retaining these four players, Chennai had INR 48 crore left in their purse for the mega auction.

In the two-day mega auction held in Bengaluru, they brought back Deepak Chahar (14 crore), Ambati Rayudu (6.75 crore), Dwayne Bravo (4.4 crore) and Robin Uthappa (INR 2 crore), all of whom played important roles in winning the title last season.

Chennai also roped in England all-rounder Chris Jordan (INR 3.6 crore), New Zealand pacer Adam Milne (INR 1.9 crore), Kiwi spinner Mitch Santner (INR 1.9 crore), New Zealand batter Devon Conway (INR 1 crore) and South Africa fast bowler Dwaine Pretorius (50 Lakh) to their squad. 

As far as domestic cricketers are concerned, the four-time champions bought the likes of Tushar Deshpande, Simarjeet Singh, C Hari Nishaanth, N Jagadeesan, Mukesh Choudhary, Subhranshu Senapati, Prashant Solanki and K Bhagath Varma. 

Team Chennai squad for Indian T20 League 2022: MS Dhoni (captain/wicket-keeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Moeen Ali, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ambati Rayadu, Dwayne Bravo, Robin Uthappa, Deepak Chahar, KM Asif, Shivam Dube, Maheesh Theekshana, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Simarjeet Singh, Devon Conway, Dwaine Pretorius, Mitch Santner, Adam Milne, Subhranshu Senapati, Prashant Solanki, Mukesh Choudhary, C Hari Nishaanth, N Jagadeesan, Chris Jordan, Bhagath Varma

Team Chennai strengths and weaknesses

Strengths

Team Chennai have been heavily dependent on their core players over the years and it has been a massive strength for the franchise. The success mantra of the franchise has been believing in giving its players a longer run to showcase their talent and prove their worth. Indian players such as Ravindra Jadeja, Deepak Chahar and Ruturaj Gaikwad went on to play for India after having success with Team Chennai.

Chennai have always believed in having more experienced players than youngsters in their side. The likes of MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Robin Uthappa and Ambati Rayudu will once again play a major role in the upcoming edition of the Indian T20 League.

The presence of MS Dhoni will always be considered as one of Chennai’s biggest strengths since they have won four titles under him. With the Indian T20 League being held in India, Dhoni’s unmatched use of spinners on Indian pitches should make the team a tough opposition to face for any side in the high-profile league.

Weaknesses

Chennai struggled with their death bowling in the previous edition of the tournament, leaking too many runs in the last few overs which can change the complexion of a game. The franchise has roped in Chris Jordan and Tushar Deshpande to fix the issue in the new season. 

 

Furthermore, the batting form of MS Dhoni was a concern in the last edition, with the former India captain retiring from all forms of international cricket in 2020 and not playing any competitive cricket since the previous edition of the Indian T20 league in UAE. They will be hoping the Indian legend can roll back the years and provide more returns with the willow in the upcoming season.

Who can be the highest run-scorer for Team Chennai?

Chennai opener Ruturaj Gaikwad was in staggering form in the Indian T20 League 2021, winning the Orange Cap. The 25-year-old amassed 635 runs in 16 matches at a strike rate of 136.26 while also maintaining an average of 45.35. He hit one century and four fifties in the tournament. Ravindra Jadeja and Co. will once again bank on Gaikwad at the top of the order to provide the batting unit with a good foundation to build upon.

Who can be the highest wicket-taker for Team Chennai?

West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo had a decent Indian T20 League campaign last season. The Chennai pacer bagged 14 wickets in 11 matches at an economy of 7.81. Bravo is currently the joint-highest wicket-taker in Indian T20 League history, picking 167 wickets in 151 matches at a strike rate of 17.44. Bravo is once again expected to make use of his slow deliveries on Indian pitches and is expected to be the highest wicket-taker for Team Chennai this season.

Where will Team Chennai finish in Indian T20 League 2022?

Considering the past record of the franchise, Ravindra Jadeja-led Chennai are expected to qualify for the playoffs in the Indian T20 League 2022. If their star players find early form, they can also lift their fifth title this time around

Chennai Indian T20 League 2022 schedule, fixtures and match times

All times are in India Standard Time (IST)

Day and DateÂ	Match	Venue	Time
Saturday, March 26	Chennai vs KolkataÂ	Wankhede Stadium	7:30 PM
Thursday, March 31	Lucknow vs Chennai	Brabourne Stadium	7:30 PM
Sunday, April 3	Chennai vs Punjab	Brabourne Stadium	7:30 PM
Saturday, April 9	Chennai vs Hyderabad	DY Patil Stadium	3:30 PM
Tuesday, April 12	Chennai vs Bangalore	DY Patil Stadium	7:30 PM
Sunday, April 17	Gujarat vs Chennai	MCA Stadium	7:30 PM
Thursday, April 21	Mumbai vs Chennai	DY Patil Stadium	7:30 PM
Monday, April 25	Punjab vs Chennai	Wankhede Stadium	7:30 PM
Sunday, May 1	Hyderabad vs Chennai	MCA Stadium	7:30 PM
Wednesday, May 4	Bangalore vs Chennai	MCA Stadium	7:30 PM
Sunday, May 8	Chennai vs Delhi	DY Patil Stadium	7:30 PM
Thursday, May 12	Chennai vs Mumbai	Wankhede Stadium	7:30 PM
Sunday, May 15	Gujarat vs Chennai	Wankhede Stadium	3:30 PM
Friday, May 20	Rajasthan vs ChennaiÂ	Brabourne Stadium	7:30 PM

Feature photo: Indranil MUKHERJEE /Sajjad HUSSAIN /NOAH SEELAM / AFP

SportsAdda brand ambassador Brett Lee is highly hopeful of Team Chennai’s biggest positive this season in the form of opening batsman Ruturaj Gaikwad in episode 4 of SportsAdda presents T20 Crazy, powered by Sportsbet.io.

In a candid chat with Manish Batavia, the former Australian fast bowler spoke highly of the Chennai young gun and how his game has lifted his side’s performance this year.

“He's definitely been one of my favourite players in the Indian T20 League 2021. He's got a wonderful understanding of the match, he knows when to change gears. He is one player who can definitely go through the gears. He knows how to start off slowly in the first and second gears and take his time but when he wants to go to the fourth and fifth gears, he can up the ante,�Lee stated.

The 2003 World Cup winner also stressed on the importance of such players from a futuristic point of view. 

“Players like that will go on to score big hundreds, players like that can go on to represent India for a long period of time. He has been outstanding for CSK,�Lee added.

Russell, DK to step up for Kolkata   

The SportsAdda ambassador was not much bothered about the form of Kolkata skipper Eoin Morgan in the ongoing edition of the Indian T20 League.

“I am not worried because his experience definitely counts. They rely on a team, they are winning games without their big players. Andre Russell is not firing the way he would have liked to. Dinesh Karthik is a quality player, he is a great finisher,�the 44-year-old said.

However, the former Aussie great focussed on the need of senior players stepping up to an occasion like the playoffs.

“This is the time when the most experienced campaigners have to step up. You have got to play that complete game of cricket. It's one side there's fearless cricket but on the other side because that's what sports is all about.

“You want to enjoy your moment, enjoy your teammates. And you enjoy it a lot more when you are winning.�/span>

A 129-run opening stand between openers Ruturaj Gaikwad and Faf du Plessis powered Chennai to a convincing seven-wicket win over Hyderabad in an Indian T20 League encounter at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Wednesday.

Gaikwad smashed 75 runs off just 44 balls - his highest score in the Indian T20 League, while du Plessis scored 38-ball 56 as Chennai chased down 171/3 put up by Hyderabad with nine balls to spare. 

The understanding between Gaikwad and du Plessis has been one of the strengths of this Chennai side. The duo perfectly complements each other in their opening partnership.

While Faf du Plessis has scored 182 runs against pacers at a strike rate of 155.56 in the ongoing edition of the high-profile league, Ruturaj has made 77 runs against spinners at a strike rate of 157.14.

Vs Pacers	Runs	Balls	Outs	Avg	SR	4s	6s
Faf du Plessis	182	117	1	182	155.56	19	7
Ruturaj Gaikwad	115	99	3	38.33	116.16	12	4

Vs Spinners	Runs	Balls	Outs	Avg	SR	4s	6s
Faf du Plessis	88	75	3	29.33	117.33	9	2
Ruturaj Gaikwad	77	49	3	25.67	157.14	12	1

“We have got such a long batting line-up but all you need is a start in any format you play. So, myself and Ruturaj enjoyed the partnership, we complement each other really well. He’s a fantastic player, he has got a bright future ahead of him. Times the ball so beautifully,�du Plessis had said in the virtual post-match press conference after Chennai defeated Bangalore in their previous encounter.

Time and again, Gaikwad and du Plessis have just focused purely on timing and finding the gaps. They have shown that one can easily score at 10 per over even if they don’t intend to take the aerial route to score their runs.

The opening pair of Gaikwad and du Plessis has already put on two 100-run stands in the league this season.

Top 5 stands in Indian T20 League 2021

Partners	Runs	Team	OppositionÂ	Ground	Match Date
V Kohli, D Padikkal	181*	Bangalore	Rajasthan	Mumbai	22 April 2021
P Shaw, S Dhawan	138	Delhi	Chennai	Mumbai	10 April 2021
R Gaikwad, F du Plessis	129	Chennai	Hyderabad	Delhi	28 April 2021
KL Rahul, M Agarwal	122	Punjab	Delhi	Mumbai	18 April 2021
R Gaikwad, F du Plessis	115	Chennai	Kolkata	Mumbai	21 April 2021

With the help of their openers, Chennai registered their fifth straight victory and are now on 10 points along with Virat Kohli-led Bangalore.

Chennai will only hope their opening pair can continue their incredible run in the upcoming matches as well.

Featured photo: IPL/BCCI

While Chennai have managed two wins in their opening three matches in the Indian T20 League this season, a young Ruturaj Gaikwad remains a loose end in a rather batting-heavy side.

The Chennai team has crossed the 180-run mark twice this season, but not once has the 24-year-old opener made a significant contribution. Ruturaj Gaikwad has scored a mere 20 runs in three innings at a measly average of 6.66, and while it is indeed early in the campaign, Chennai just cannot afford to test the waters.

Ruturaj Gaikwad for Chennai in the Indian T20 League: 2020 vs 2021
2020	Match	2021
0	1st match	5
5	2nd match	5
0	3rd match	10

It is, in fact, the same old story for Gaikwad in the Indian T20 League. In his debut season with the franchise, he had accumulated just five runs in his first three innings.  He did manage three fifties in the 2020 season but it came a little too late as Chennai was always chasing to get up the points table throughout the campaign.

The 24-year-old has developed a rather unfortunate trend in the league. Three of his six dismissals have come against left-arm pacers which includes the likes of Arshdeep Singh, Trent Boult and Mustafizur Rahman.

Ruturaj Gaikwad vs bowling style in Indian T20 League
Bowling Style	Runs Scored	Balls	Wickets	Average	Strike Rate
Left-arm pace	11	13	3	3.67	85.62
Leg break	55	46	1	55.00	119.57
Off break	41	40	0	-	102.50
Right arm pace	115	93	2	57.50	123.66
Slow left-arm orthodox	2	4	0	-	50.00

A further breakdown reveals that Gaikwad averages a lowly 3.67 against left-arm pacers in the Indian T20 League, having scored just 11 runs in 13 balls against them.

Erratic starts and struggles with a right-left bowling combination mean Gaikwad is not particularly reliable.

Chennai can replace Ruturaj with Robin Uthappa. The 35-year-old, who was traded from Rajasthan ahead of the mini-auction in February, is a seasoned Indian T20 League veteran. 

Uthappa averages 27.92 in the league. Given the range of attacking shots he brings to the foray, Uthappa opening alongside Faf du Plessis can give Chennai the desired head start in the powerplay overs that they are desperately yearning for.

Gaikwad, however, may get one more chance as Chennai’s next match is against Kolkata, and they do not have a left-arm pacer in their squad.

Featured photo: Twitter / Ruturaj Gaikwad

This is the sixth in a series of features where we will be taking a detailed dive into the various factors that stood out during the course of the Indian T20 League 2020 season.

Just like previous editions, we saw some fine young talents turning the heat on in the recently concluded Indian T20 League season as well.

"One of the things I most enjoy is keeping an eye on budding talents," said Lee.

"To that end, this year's Indian T20 League offered up some tantalising prospects for the future. We saw Padikkal's consistency shine through for Bangalore as he ended up as their highest run-scorer. Then there was Ruturaj Gaikwad finally coming good once let out on a longer leash by Chennai. As the old guard eventually bows out, these are some of the names I see shining bright in the years to come."

So, here we take a look at some of those youngsters and how they performed during the course of the tournament.

Devdutt Padikkal and his consistency

Everyone had a lot of expectations from the 20-year-old at the beginning of the season. He had scored heaps of runs across all formats in domestic cricket prior to the Indian T20 League and he didn't let anyone down when he got the opportunity to open for Bangalore in this tournament as well. 

Padikkal not only scored a fifty on his debut but also went on to give consistent returns at the top of the order throughout the season, which saw him becoming the highest run-getter for Bangalore as well. By the end of the season, Padikkal had 473 runs to his name at an average of 31.53 and these runs included five scores of fifty or more.

Ruturaj Gaikwad and his mature knocks

The 23-year-old batsman from Maharashtra didn't get the same kind of backing in the first half of the season from Chennai as Padikkal got from his team. However, he showed what he is capable of when he was given his chance to open the innings in the last few matches.

Gaikwad went on to score 199 runs at an average of 99.50 in his last four innings combined and that included three consecutive fifties as well. All of these three half-centuries turned out to be match-winning knocks for Chennai. The best part about his knocks was the maturity with which he played. Gaikwad remained unbeaten in two out of these three occasions and thus guided his team over the line.

Kartik Tyagi's pace and impeccable yorkers

Kartik Tyagi's bowling numbers in this season -- nine wickets at an average of 40.77 -- might not appear to be that impressive but it would be harsh to judge the youngster based just on these numbers. Tyagi bowled regularly at speeds of over 140 kph and thus troubled a lot of batsmen with his pace and hard lengths.

The 20-year-old also showed an exceptional ability to bowl accurate yorkers. He had already done that in the U-19 World Cup earlier this year, but it takes immense confidence and courage to do that consistently against quality international batsmen on this stage.

Arshdeep Singh and his accuracy

He is another young pacer who impressed in this edition of the Indian T20 League. The left-arm seamer played eight matches for Punjab and picked up nine wickets at an impressive strike-rate of 16.55. Arshdeep performed well both with the new ball and in the death, but his most impressive quality was his accuracy of line and length.

He kept teasing the batsmen with good length deliveries in the off-stump channel in the powerplay overs and when it came to bowling in the death, he executed the yorkers beautifully as well. Arshdeep doesn't have the same pace as someone like Tyagi but he showed what a bowler can do with accurate lengths and clever use of angles.