Hussey, Raina steer CSK to opening win

With a glimpse of MS Dhoni’s new hairstyle and a dash of Gangnam served by Dwayne Bravo, Ranchi welcomed CSK as one of their own. But it wasn’t a smooth homecoming for Dhoni. Not one of the star-studded sides in this meet, the Titans showed their mettle by tearing into Chennai’s bowling and leaving them with 185 to surpass.

With a glimpse of MS Dhoni’s new hairstyle and a dash of Gangnam served by Dwayne Bravo, Ranchi welcomed CSK as one of their own. But it wasn’t a smooth homecoming for Dhoni. Not one of the star-studded sides in this meet, the Titans showed their mettle by tearing into Chennai’s bowling and leaving them with 185 to surpass.

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If it was Henry Davids’s early onslaught that set the platform for the Titans, AB de Villiers almost ran away with the game with a blitzkrieg. It’s not as if Chennai did not begin well. Both Mohit Sharma and Jason Holder kept the runs under check till the fifth over after which Davids cut loose.

Jacques Rudolph followed suit. Had he not risked Bravo’s arm from midwicket, the Titans could have marched on to a 50-run opening partnership.
But it also meant that De Villiers had time to get his eye in. When he did, Chennai were found wanting.

Already a tough chase, it looked steeper when Murali Vijay fell but Suresh Raina and Michael Hussey took the fight to Titans by notching a 50-run second-wicket partnership in just 26 balls before CSK eased home.