Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Gujarat Titans opener Sai Sudharsan continues his meteoric rise in the IPL, rewriting record books yet again — this time by surpassing Chris Gayle for the most runs after 50 matches in the tournament’s history.The 24-year-old reached the landmark during GT’s last-over win over Punjab Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, scoring a composed 57 off 41 balls. In the process, Sudharsan took his tally to 2178 runs in his first 50 IPL innings, overtaking Gayle’s long-standing record of 2061 runs. The record had stood tall for 13 years, dating back to a time when Sudharsan was just 11 years old.Mitchell Marsh sits third on the elite list with 1933 runs after 50 innings, underlining the magnitude of Sudharsan’s achievement in a league known for its fierce competition.Fastest to 2000 — another Gayle record falls earlierThis isn’t the first time Sudharsan has dethroned Gayle this season. Only recently, the elegant left-hander became the fastest batter in IPL history to reach 2000 runs, achieving the milestone in just 47 innings — one fewer than Gayle’s 48. Marsh follows closely behind, having taken 52 innings.Sudharsan’s record-breaking spree began earlier in the season when he smashed a stunning 100 off 58 balls against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, underlining both his consistency and ability to dominate attacks across conditions.Despite a slow start to IPL 2026 — with just one fifty in his first six outings — Sudharsan has bounced back emphatically, registering three fifty-plus scores in his last four innings, including that match-defining century.His overall numbers are remarkable: 2178 runs in 50 innings at an average of 47.34 and a strike rate of 148, all for Gujarat Titans since his debut in 2022.While Sudharsan anchored the chase against Punjab Kings, GT’s bowlers laid the foundation. Jason Holder starred with four wickets, while Mohammed Siraj and Kagiso Rabada chipped in with two apiece.Punjab Kings, rescued by a fighting half-century from Suryansh Shedge, posted 163/9 — but Gujarat Titans chased it down on the penultimate ball to seal a thrilling victory, with Sudharsan once again at the heart of history.
