Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan Shine as IPL's Second-Best Opening Pair

In a thrilling IPL match, Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan established themselves as the second-best opening pair in IPL history with a remarkable century partnership against CSK. Their impressive performance not only highlights their batting prowess but also positions them among cricket's elite. With Sudharsan leading the Orange Cap race, the duo's contributions were pivotal in setting a challenging target for CSK. Discover more about their record-breaking partnership and the match highlights.

By Narendra Chaudhary May 22, 2026, 02:14 IST

Dominance of Gill and Sudharsan in IPL

In Ahmedabad, Gujarat, on May 21, Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan showcased their exceptional skills as a batting duo in the Indian Premier League (IPL), establishing themselves as the second-best opening pair in IPL history after their impressive century partnership against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

The duo, led by skipper Gill, formed a formidable 125-run partnership, marking their 10th century stand in T20 cricket across 46 innings. This achievement places them alongside cricket legends such as Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli (63 innings for RCB), Babar Azam, and Mohammad Rizwan (75 innings for Pakistan), as well as AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli (77 innings for RCB).

In their 31 innings together, Sudharsan and Gill have amassed a remarkable 1,942 runs at an impressive average of 66.96, including seven centuries and eight partnerships of fifty runs or more.

Comparatively, the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) pair of David Warner and Shikhar Dhawan have accumulated 2,220 runs in 48 innings, with six centuries and 12 fifty-run partnerships.

Overall, Sudharsan and Gill rank as the third-best IPL partnership in history, with a total of 2,760 runs in 46 innings at an average of 62.72, featuring 10 century stands and 11 fifty-run partnerships. The top two pairs are AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli (3,123 runs in 76 innings, with 10 centuries and 11 fifties) and Gayle-Kohli (2,787 runs in 59 innings, with nine centuries and 12 fifties).

Currently, Sudharsan holds the Orange Cap with 638 runs in 14 innings, averaging 49.07 and boasting a strike rate of nearly 158, including one century and seven fifties. Gill follows closely in second place with 616 runs in 13 innings, averaging 47.38 and a strike rate of 161.67, along with six fifties.

In the match, CSK chose to bowl first. Key contributions came from Sai Sudharsan (84 runs off 53 balls, including seven fours and four sixes), skipper Shubman Gill (64 runs off 37 balls, with seven fours and three sixes), and Jos Buttler (57 not out off 27 balls, featuring six fours and four sixes), leading GT to a total of 229/4 in their 20 overs.

CSK now faces the challenge of chasing down 230 runs in 20 overs to keep their playoff aspirations alive.