Robin Uthappa and Shivam Dube, both former Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) cricketers, pulverised the bowling attack of their former team, eventually laying the foundation for Chennai Super Kings’ maiden win in this IPL.

The duo’s blistering 165-run stand for the third wicket in just 12.1 overs powered Chennai Super Kings to 216 for 4 in conditions ideal for batting at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Tuesday.

Then, cashing in on the scoreboard pressure on RCB, Sri Lankan spinner Maheesh Theekshana (4/33) bowled the ideal line on a surface that helped the Super Kings limit their opposition to 193 for 9 and finally taste victory in IPL 2022, winning by 23 runs.

A massive amount of credit would go to Uthappa and Dube as their partnership was certainly the kind of thrust the defending champions needed in their 200th game in the IPL, especially after having lost all of their previous four matches.

Even on Tuesday, after RCB won the toss and opted to bowl, the Super Kings were wobbling at 36 for 2 in the seventh over. But Uthappa (88 off 50 balls) rose to the occasion and proved he isn’t finished yet. He got a tremendous amount of support from Dube (95 not out off 46 balls), who went on to top-score for the Super Kings.

It was Dube who began the counterpunch when he smashed spinner Wanindu Hasaranga, one of RCB’s go-to-bowlers, for a six and a four in the 11th over.

What followed next was sheer carnage by the duo. Uthappa (four boundaries and nine sixes) also used his feet well enough, but for the left-handed Dube, it was all about clearing his front leg and hitting the ball as cleanly as possible. Even a bowler of the quality of Josh Hazlewood, in his maiden appearance this season, got his share of spanking in the slog overs. But what made matters worse for RCB was that none of their bowlers could exercise any control.

Straight & simple

Without looking to experiment, 21-year-old off-spinner Theekshana kept it straight and targeted the stumps, snaring the prized scalp of RCB captain Faf du Plessis, his opening partner Anuj Rawat, the impressive debutant Suyash Prabhudessai (coming in for Harshal Patel) and Shahbaz Ahmed (41) to play a vital role in the Super Kings’ successful defence.

Theekshana should have had Dinesh Karthik’s wicket too had Mukesh Choudhary not dropped a sitter. However, Dwayne Bravo ensured the dangerous-looking Karthik (34 off 14 balls) got dismissed the first time in this IPL.

Captain Ravindra Jadeja (3/39) too contributed with the ball for Chennai, picking up the crucial wicket of Glenn Maxwell earlier.