Ruturaj Gaikwad hits first hundred of IPL 2021 in UAE, claims Orange Cap after Abu Dhabi masterclass vs RR

Ruturaj Gaikwad played an innings that will be remembered for long in the history of the Indian Premier League as the young Chennai Super Kings opener hit his maiden IPL hundred against Rajasthan Royals in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

Ruturaj Gaikwad, who rose to prominence with his late-season heroics for CSK in IPL 2020, hit the first hundred of the UAE leg of IPL 2021. The 24-year-old hit his hundred in just 60 balls, smashing 5 huge sixes and 9 boundaries.RR vs CSK, IPL 2021 Live UpdatesRuturaj flaunted his elegant strokeplay that has been leaving the cricket fraternity in awe. Despite his slim figure, the CSK opener hit it big and playing just 14 dot balls in the innings.There was a bit of tension in the final over as Ravindra Jadeja (32 off 15) was going hammer and tongs against Mustafizur Rahman. Jadeja took a single in the 4th ball of the over and Gaikwad missed the 5th ball.However, he kept his calm and deposited the final delivery of the CSK innings into the mid-wicket boundary. The sound of the ball hitting the bat told Gaikwad the story as the young batsman punched the air and celebrated the high-quality hundred as soon as the ball left his bat.for @Ruutu1331 !O. U. T. S. T. A. N. D. I. N. G!The @ChennaiIPL right-hander brings up his maiden #VIVOIPL hundred with a MAXIMUM! #VIVOIPL #RRvCSKFollow the match https://t.co/jo6AKQBhuK pic.twitter.com/kDayzAQd7Y— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) October 2, 2021
Ruturaj claims Orange Cap with record hundred for CSKRuturaj Gaikwad also became the first player to get to 500 runs in IPL 2021. The CSK opener, who has been supremely consistent especially in the UAE leg, took the Organe Cap from KL Rahul.Ruturaj also became the 7th Chennai Super Kings batsman to get past 500 runs in an IPL season. Suresh Raina, who batted at No. 3 on Saturday, has done 3 times for the 3-time IPL champions.Ruturaj started slow, hitting his first 29 runs in 30 balls against Rajasthan Royals but the young opener raced ahead as he got past his fifty. Rutraj played some delightful inside-out shots against the spinners of the Royals and took the pacers to the cleaners.Ruturaj hit the biggest six of the match — a 103-meter monster — as he hit nearly everything out of the park as he was nearing his hundred.Chennai Super Kings finished with 189 for 4, the highest total posted in the UAE leg of the IPL where runs have been difficult to come by for most sides.