In the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 final, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) opener Ruturaj Gaikwad surpassed KL Rahul to win the Orange cap race. Gaikwad’s 32-run knock helped him finish the season with 635 runs from 16 matches at an average of 45.35. Gaikwad’s dream run in the season included four half-centuries and his maiden century. The 24-year-old also became the youngest (24 years and 257 days) to finish the season with orange cup breaking Shaun Marsh’s record (24 years and 328 days) in 2008 for the Punjab franchise.
Later in the innings, Gaikwad’s opening batter almost surpassed him but failed to clear a few yards as he found the fielder at long-on. Faf du Plessis finished with 633 runs from 16 innings including six half-centuries. The Proteas batter scored at an average of 45.21 and a strike rate of 138.20. He got close to Gaikwad’s numbers with a game-changing 86-run knock off 59 deliveries including seven fours and three sixes. His inning helped CSK post 192/3 at Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
This is also the third time two batters of the same franchise have finished the season with 600-plus runs. Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (RCB) Chris Gayle (708) & Virat Kohli (634) achieved the feat in 2013. Kohli is the only batter to feature in the list twice. The RCB skipper (973) and AB de Villiers (687) achieved the feat of RCB in 2016.
Punjab Kings (PBKS) skipper had scored 626 runs from 13 innings compared to Gaikwad’s 16. The wicketkeeper-batter had an outstanding average of 62.60. He missed out on a century by just two runs and had six half-centuries in the tournament that was played in two halves.
The 61-run opening partnership between Gaikwad and Du Plessis is the third fifty-plus opening partnership for CSK in the final encounters. They are also the only team to have openers share three fifty-plus stands in the final.
