Rain, dropped catches, some stellar bowling, and, of course, big knocks -- the Gujarat Titans=Rajasthan Royals match had all the ingredients for an action-packed IPL encounter.
In the end, the fortress has been breached as the Royals fell to their first loss of the season, with the Titans walking away with a three wicket win.
If Rajasthan were on top for 36 overs of the 40 over contest, it was the four overs in the end that mattered.
Both innings had some fine batting displays with the usual suspects stepping up with the big knocks along with sizzling cameos which counted for more.
A look at the best knocks of the contest at the Sawai Mansingh stadium in Jaipur, April 10, 2024.
Sanju Samson
Leading the Royals for the 50th time, Sanju played a solid knock, but in vain.
The skipper walked in early, coming in in the fifth over after Yashasvi Jaiswal departed for a 19-ball 24.
Sanju got down to business quickly as he hammered Umesh Yadav to get off the mark with two boundaries on the trot.
With Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad coming into play, the scoring did slow down momentarily. With Rashid removing Jos Buttler, Riyan Parag joined the skipper in the middle and the pair put up a sizzling stand.
Sanju was the quieter one off the two with Parag coming up with the big shots.
Sanju found the boundary ropes again in the 14th over with a gorgeous shot over extra cover for four off Mohit Sharma.
In the next, he switched gears, hammering Spencer Johnson for 4-4-6. A boundary over third man, followed by a smashed drive through extra cover and finishing it off with a lofty shot over mid on for his first six. It was the Sanju Samson show on display.
Sanju, who was dropped by Rahul Tewatia, brought up his third half-century off the season off 31 deliveries. He has now scored most runs for the Royals in IPL 2024.
He remained unbeaten on 68 off 38. Scoring at a rate of 178.94, he smashed seven boundaries and two sixes.
Riyan Parag
He's enjoying a brilliant run this season. Coming into bat in the final over of the Powerplay, Parag took charge of the Royals innings alongside Skipper Samson.
After getting off to a quiet start, scoring just 7 off 12, Parag found his first boundary with a cracking six off Noor Ahmad in the 9th over. Thereon, Parag found the boundary almost every over.
The Assamese batter took a special liking to Noor as he struck him for a four in his next, before taking two sixes off Noor in his final over.
Parag brought up his third half-century of the season with a maximum off Mohit Sharma, sending it sailing over the wide long on fence.
He probably struck his best six in the 19th over, hitting Mohit for a maximum over deep square leg, before the bowler brought an end to his knock.
Scoring at a rate of 158.33, Parag's 48-ball 76 was peppered with three boundaries and five sixes.
Parag and Samson added 130 off 78 for the third wicket.
The youngster is placed just below Virat Kohli on the run-scorers chart this season, with 261 runs from five matches.
Sai Sudharsan
He has been a reliable opener for the Gujarat Titans and once again, Sai handed the visiting Titans a steady start along with Shubman Gill.
Though Sai hasnt struck a half-century yet this season, he has handed the team steady starts. Needing 197 to win, Sai was quick to get off the blocks as he got off the mark with a boundary off Trent Boult in the first over.
In the next over, Sai, jumping up in the air, slashed Avesh Khan for a maximum to keep the board ticking.
Looking to up the ante, Sai welcomed Yuzvendra Chahal into the attack with back-to-back boundaries. But Kuldeep Sen came to RR's rescue, ending Sai's innings in the 8th over.
Sai's 39-ball 35, included three boundaries and one six.
Shubman Gill
Gill found his first maximum off the innings in the fourth over, giving Keshav Maharaj a fine welcome to the IPL.
After being checked by Ravichandran Ashwin in the next, Gill picked Avesh to pick up a couple of boundaries. Welcoming Avesh with a boundary in the final over of the Powerplay, Gill caressed one over long on as Avesh leaked 14 in the final over of the Powerplay.
Gill's innings slowed down considerably after the Titans lost three wickets in quick succession.
With the pressure building, Gill got two vital boundaries off Ashwin.
Gill welcomed Chahal in his final over with two boundaries on the trot. After dissecting long off and deep extra cover for a beautiful shot, Gill followed it up with a boundary part cover point. The skipper was cruising, taking charge of the Titans' chase, but Chahal had other plans.
The spinner had the last laugh as Gill was stumped by Samson falling for 72 off 44. Scoring at a rate of 163.33, Gill struck six boundaries and two sixes.
This was the GT captain's second half-century of the ongoing IPL season.
Rahul Tewatia
He generally doesn't get too many balls to face, but Tewatia walked in at the start of the 15th over with the Titans needing a special knock to take them home.
With Gill at the opposite end, Tewatia, who got off the mark with a single, didn't get too long to sit back and watch. Gill fell in the very next over and Tewatia was joined by the big-hitting Shahrukh Khan.
Taking five deliveries, Tewatia found the boundary ropes off Ashwin as he eased it over extra cover.
But with Shahrukh perishing for 14 off 8, Tewatia needed to serve up a special alongside Rashid Khan. And the pair did put up a show.
With GT needing 35 off 12, Tewatia took some off the pressure off with a boundary off Kuldeep Sen, who had been brilliant till then.
With the pressure building on Kuldeep, Tewatia found the boundary ropes again on the final ball to give GT a real chance to winning the contest.
Though he was run out on the penultimate ball, Tewatia's 11-ball 22 was a very crucial innings for the Titans.
Rashid Khan
Like Tewatia, Rashid doesn't get to face too many deliveries. But he doesn't need too many balls to yank the game away from the opposition.
Taking the Titans home, Rashid's unbeaten 11-ball 24 was the most crucial knock of the evening as the Royals succumbed to their first IPL 2024 defeat.
Rashid walked in with GT needing 40 off 15. Tough ask? Not if Rashid has anything to do about it.
A sizzling boundary over extra cover off Kuldeep Sen in the penultimate over saw the scales tilt in GT's favour.
In the final over, with Titans needing 15 off 6, Rashid got the over underway with a boundary. A low full toss from Avesh and Rashid sloshed it over deep square leg. After collecting two quick runs on the next, Rashid once again found the boundary.
Avesh nailed the yorker, but the outside edge went flying past the 'keeper for four.
After Tewatia was run out, Rashid took strike with two needed on the final delivery.
The Afghan smashed the final ball over point to snatch the win from the hosts and take GT to a thrilling win.
Rashid and Tewatia's 36 runs off 14 balls for the seventh wicket was instrumental in GT breaching the Royals den.
RR Vs GT: Who Played The Best Knock?
