Twitter Reactions: Ambati Rayudu 79s Chennai to 182

The wicket at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad isn’t a batting paradise. Considering the home team’s strength in the bowling department it is always a bit slower assisting the spinners who choke the opposition down in the middle overs also chipping away with the wickets. Chennai Super Kings weren’t off to a great start as Shane Watson got out early but Ambati Rayudu at No.4 changed the complexion of the innings with his knock.

Imran Tahir was injured and CSK brought in Faf du Plessis as a replacement. But the South African captain couldn’t really make a difference, his 11 was just a glimpse of what the team would’ve wanted him to deliver. But Mr IPL Suresh Raina who scored 46 in the previous match, coming back from injury bettered his performance today.

Rayudu was the aggressor as he hit bowlers with the best of reputation in the Sunrisers attack for boundaries. He looked really good to go all the way with the innings and even get a hundred but on the 4th ball of the 17th over somehow saw an extra single which didn’t exist and was run out in a bizzare fashion. Playing at his home groun the Hyderabadi scored 79 from 39 balls and entertained the crowd with 9 boundarie and 4 sixes.

Raina then carried on with skipper MS Dhoni for company. The left-hander who was thus far scoring at slower than run a ball now took up the responsibility and hit the boundaries. He five boundaries and two sixes in his 43-ball 53.

Dhoni also carried on from where he had left against Kings XI Punjab. He played his shots from the start even against Rashid Khan. Dhoni hammered Siddhart Kaul in the 19th and his 25 from 12 helped CSK end with 182/3 in their 20 overs. Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the most economical bowler for his team as he got 1 wicket for 22 runs in his 4.

Here is how Twitterati reacted during the course of the first innings: