Ruturaj Gaikwad’s 101* and other IPL centuries in a losing cause 

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batter Ruturaj Gaikwad became the 15th cricketer to score an Indian Premier League (IPL) century in a losing cause.

Seeing through the challenging phase when the ball wasn’t easily coming on to the bat, the CSK youngster went on to smash his maiden IPL hundred – one of the prettiest knocks with a blend of finesse and brute.

Even as an opponent, Rajasthan Royals’ (RR) skipper Sanju Samson couldn’t help applauding the class of the 24-year-old. Samson said in the post-match presentation ceremony:

“Unbelievable batting by Gaikwad. We are really afraid of a batsman like him. He plays a lot of cricketing shots; there’s no risk in the way he plays. We need to respect those type of batters. Very happy that he scored a really good hundred, respect him.”

Sanju Samson isn’t too different when it comes to exhibiting similar class, and he knows more than anyone else to finish on the losing side despite scoring a hundred. Out of the 17 instances of IPL centuries scored in a losing cause, Samson has done that twice. South Africa's Hashim Amla is the only other player with as many hundreds in defeats.

On this note, let’s look at all the IPL hundreds that came in a losing cause.

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#1 Andrew Symonds (Deccan Chargers) vs Rajasthan Royals: 102 (55)*, Hyderabad | IPL 2008

Andrew Symonds belted seven sixes and 11 fours to help the Chargers reach 214. Needing 14 off the last four balls, RR skipper Shane Warne smacked Andrew Symonds for four, six and six to clinch the thriller.

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#2 Yusuf Pathan (Rajasthan Royals) vs Mumbai Indians: 100 (37), Mumbai (BS) | IPL 2010

Chasing 213, RR were four down for 66 in the 10th over before Yusuf Pathan played a blinder. The then fastest century in the tournament remains the second-fastest IPL century, even after 11-and-a-half years. But RR lost the game by four runs.

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#3 Sachin Tendulkar (Mumbai Indians) vs Kochi Tuskers Kerala, Mumbai: 100 (66)* | IPL 2011

Sachin Tendulkar’s only T20 hundred came in a losing cause as a solid 128-run opening stand by Brendon McCullum and Mahela Jayawardene sealed it for KTK.

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#4 Shane Watson (Rajasthan Royals) vs Chennai Super Kings, Chennai: 101 (61) | IPL 2013

Shane Watson’s century helped RR to 185 before CSK chased it off the penultimate ball. With 10 runs required off four balls, Dwayne Bravo went six, two and two to finish off the match.

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#5 Wriddhiman Saha (Kings XI Punjab) vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Bangalore: 115 (55)* | IPL 2014

Wriddhiman Saha became the first cricketer to slam a hundred in an IPL final. (Photo: BCCI)

Wriddhiman Saha became the first cricketer to slam a hundred in an IPL final. Shane Watson remains the only other cricketer to do so when he smashed a hundred in the 2018 final. However, Wriddhiman Saha remains the only Indian to achieve the feat. But KKR chased down the total with three balls to spare.

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#6 Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) vs Gujarat Lions, Rajkot: 100 (63)* | IPL 2016

Virat Kohli's ton helped the RCB to 180, which the Lions easily overhauled with three balls to spare.

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#7 Steve Smith (Rising Pune Supergiant) vs Gujarat Lions, Pune: 101 (54) | IPL 2016

Steve Smith’s blinder couldn’t win it for the RPS, who put up 195. But the Lions clinched the thriller off the last ball.

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#8 Hashim Amla (Kings XI Punjab) vs Mumbai Indians, Indore: 104 (60)* | IPL 2017

Hashim Amla was severe on Lasith Malinga, plundering the Sri Lankan pacer for 51 runs off 16 balls. The South African surprised himself by reaching the Holkar roof effortlessly. But MI won the game easily, chasing down 199 in the 16th over.

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#9 Hashim Amla (Kings XI Punjab) vs Gujarat Lions, Mohali: 104 (60) | IPL 2017

Hashim Amla’s second IPL hundred was an identical score to his first. He once again ended up on the losing side and never played an IPL match again.

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#10 Rishabh Pant (Delhi Daredevils) vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, Delhi: 128 (63)* | IPL 2018

Rishabh Pant championed a strong bowling attack comprising Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Sandeep Sharma, Shakib Al Hasan, Siddarth Kaul and Rashid Khan, scoring almost 70% of the team's runs to help DD reach 187. Harshal Patel’s 24 was the next best score for DD. Led by Shikhar Dhawan’s 50-ball 92 not out, SRH chased off the total with seven balls remaining.

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#11 Sanju Samson (Rajasthan Royals) vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, Hyderabad: 102 (55)* | IPL 2019

Not many batters make the art appear as delightful as Sanju Samson. His fine knock powered RR to 198, a total they couldn’t defend against the powerful SRH opening duo of David Warner and Jonny Bairstow.

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#12 KL Rahul (Kings XI Punjab) vs Mumbai Indians, Mumbai: 100 (64)* | IPL 2019

KL Rahul’s maiden IPL hundred powered KXIP (now Punjab Kings) to 197. The knock was overshadowed by Kieron Pollard’s incredible 31-ball 83 that helped MI clinch a final-ball win.

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#13 Ajinkya Rahane (Rajasthan Royals) vs Delhi Capitals, Jaipur: 105 (63)* | IPL 2019

A fine eye-pleasing hand from captain Ajinkya Rahane took the RR to 191 before Rishabh Pant’s whirlwind spoilt Rajasthan Royals' party.

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#14 Mayank Agarwal (Kings XI Punjab) vs Rajasthan Royals, Sharjah: 106 (50) | IPL 2020

After Yusuf Pathan, Mayank Agarwal’s century is the fastest by an Indian in the IPL. His ton helped KXIP reach 223. In a match dominated by Punjab, Rahul Tewatia finished it off in style, smacking Sheldon Cottrell for five sixes in an over to swing the game’s fate.

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#15 Shikhar Dhawan (Delhi Capitals) vs Kings XI Punjab: 106 (61)*, Dubai | IPL 2020

Shikhar Dhawan became the first cricketer to score consecutive hundreds in the IPL. The rest of the batting line-up failed him as DC managed only 164, a total KXIP chased in the 19th over.

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#16 Sanju Samson (Rajasthan Royals) vs Punjab Kings: 119 (63), Mumbai | IPL 2021

Sanju Samson on song.

The target for 222 looked a much steeper climb for RR after losing Ben Stokes in the first over for a duck. While wickets kept tumbling, Sanju Samson played a single-handed binder. With five to win off the last ball, the RR skipper found Deepak Hooda just inside the boundary line.

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#17 Ruturaj Gaikwad (Chennai Super Kings) vs Rajasthan Royals, Abu Dhabi: 101 (60)* | IPL 2021

Ruturaj Gaikwad’s maiden IPL ton helped CSK to 189, but the RR were in no mood to relent. They sealed it in the powerplay itself by slamming 81 in the first six overs. The knock helped Ruturaj Gaikwad claim the IPL Orange Cap.