IPL 2026 | Record! Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan become the first opening pair in IPL history…
Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan (Image credit: BCCI/IPL Photo) NEW DELHI: Gujarat Titans openers Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan continued their sensational form in IPL 2026 with another dominant opening partnership, this time against Chennai Super Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Thursday.Gujarat Titans, who have already qualified for the play-offs, got off to a scintillating start again as Gill and Sudharsan put on a brilliant opening stand of 125 runs, leaving the CSK bowlers looking for answers.The duo has been the backbone of Gujarat Titans’ campaign this season, consistently providing solid starts and laying a solid foundation at the top.Both Gill and Sudharsan have now crossed the 600-run mark in IPL 2026, making them the only pair from the same franchise in IPL history to have two batsmen score 600 runs in back-to-back seasons. GT openers have also achieved success in IPL 2025.Prior to the GT pair, several teams had produced two 600-plus hitters in a single season, but no franchise had managed to repeat the feat with the same pair in multiple seasons.Interestingly, Virat Kohli has crossed the 600-run mark three times in IPL history – in 2013, 2016 and 2023 – but each time with a different batting partner.He reached the milestone alongside Chris Gayle in 2013, AB de Villiers in 2016 and Faf du Plessis in 2023.
- Over 600 runs by two different batsmen for a team in the IPL edition:
- Chris Gayle & Virat Kohli (RCB, 2013)
- Virat Kohli & AB de Villiers (RCB, 2016)
- Ruturaj Gaikwad & Faf du Plessis (CSK, 2021)
- Virat Kohli & Faf du Plessis (RCB, 2023)
- Shubman Gill & Sai Sudharsan (GT, 2025)
- Shubman Gill & Sai Sudharsan (GT, 2026)
Gill led the charge with a scintillating 64 off just 37 deliveries before getting to Spencer Johnson, while Sudharsan continued his golden run with another fluent half-century, bringing up his fifty in just 35 balls.
Will Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan continue their exceptional partnership next season?
The knock also marked Sudharsan’s fifth consecutive 50-plus score in IPL 2026, putting him alongside some of the biggest names in the tournament’s history.
- Most consecutive 50+ scores in IPL history:
- 5 — Virender Sehwag (2012)
- 5 — Jos Buttler (2018)
- 5 — David Warner (2019)
- 5 — Sai Sudharsan (2026)