SAI SUDHARSAN scored his third half-century of the season as Gujarat Titans defeated Rajasthan Royals by 58 runs on Wednesday to go top of the IPL table.
Sudharsan hit 82 off 53 balls to help Gujarat post 217-6 after being asked to bat first at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Pacer Prasidh Krishna picked up 3-24 as Rajasthan were bowled out for 159 in 19.2 overs. Shimron Hetmyer top-scored for the Royals with 52.
This was Gujarat's fourth win in five matches. Rajasthan suffered their third loss of the season.
Gujarat, winners of the 2022 season, lost an early wicket when Rajasthan fast bowler Jofra Archer bowled captain Shubman Gill with a 147kph delivery that hit the off stump.
Sudharsan, after a steady start, built key partnerships including an 80-run stand for the second wicket with Jos Buttler, who made 36, to help Gujarat post a big total.
"I always try to see what I can do better, trying to improve my awareness and skill," said Sudharsan, who was named player of the match.
"I feel I work a lot on basics that is helping me be a versatile batter."
Sri Lankan spinner Maheesh Theekshana got the breakthrough after trapping Buttler lbw. The on-field umpire turned down the appeal but Rajasthan captain Sanju Samson successfully reviewed the decision.
Theekshana then dismissed Shahrukh Khan for 36, getting him stumped.
Sherfane Rutherford hit a six off Theekshana but managed only seven runs before being dismissed by Sandeep Sharma.
Sudharsan continued the scoring before being dismissed in the 19th over by Tushar Deshpande. Deshpande then got Rashid Khan out for 12 six balls later.
With 273 runs in five matches, Sudharsan is now the second-highest run-scorer this season, behind Nicholas Pooran of Lucknow Super Giants who has 288 runs.
Rahul Tewatia added a late unbeaten 24, including 16 runs off the final over bowled by Sandeep Sharma, to help Gujarat finish strong.
In reply, Rajasthan lost early wickets, starting with opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, who fell in the second over to Arshad Khan after scoring six.
Captain Sanju Samson scored 41 and tried to keep Rajasthan in the chase, but wickets fell at regular intervals with Nitish Rana, Riyan Parag and Dhruv Jurel departing quickly, leaving the team at 68-4 in the eighth over.
Samson and Hetmyer added 48 runs together before Krishna removed the skipper, caught at short third man.
"When you lose games, we also feel should we have chased?" said Samson. "But we want to be a team that wins games while chasing, not just win batting first."
Rashid Khan took two wickets with his leg spin, and Krishna picked up two more, including Hetmyer after his fifty, as Rajasthan's chase collapsed.
Left-arm spinner Sai Kishore wrapped up the win with two wickets.
(With inputs from AFP)
England's Jamie Overton celebrates after taking the wicket of West Indies' Gudakesh Motie. Reuters/Andrew Boyers