Chennai Super Kings skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad.
Credit: PTI Photo
Chennai: A pleased Chennai Super Kings skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad termed Faf du Plessis and Glenn Maxwell's quick dismissals as the turning point of their IPL opener against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Mustafizur Rahman (4/29) blew away the top-order allowing CSK to limit RCB to 173/6 on a good track.
"We had total control right from the start," Gaikwad said at post-match presentation ceremony after CSK scripted a six wicket win.
"There were 2-3 overs here and there but once the spinners and Fizz (Mustafizur) came on, we were in control. Yes, 10-15 runs lesser would have been great but they came back well," he said.
For the CSK captain, Mustafizur sending back a rampaging Du Plessis, who had struck eight fours in his 35 and Deepak Chahar bowling an incutter to ge rid of Maxwell proved to be decisive despite 95-run stand between Anuj Rawat and Dinesh Karthik.
"To get Maxwell and even Faf out, those quick wickets were the turning point. It helped us to control the next five-six overs. That was the main point."
Gaikwad said that he has always enjoyed captaincy and with MS Dhoni still around to guide him, it never seemed like a pressure job on day one in the office.
"I have always enjoyed it. Haven't felt the additional pressure, right from the state side. Not even a single time I felt pressurized by anything. Obviously had Mahi bhai with me."
His counterprt Du Plessis admitted they were 20 runs short.
"You have to get ahead in the first six overs. CSK squeezes you with their spinners. We lost too many wickets in the first six overs. We were 15-20 runs short on a pitch that wasn't as bad as we played in the first 10 overs.
"We were always a little bit behind trying to get ahead of the game. They were always ahead of the game," Du Plessis said.