The enormous Narendra Modi stadium was all set to host the enticing finale of the nonpareil cricketing carnival, as Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s CSK took over the defending champions at the latter’s backyard in Ahmedabad. It was a bout between a transcendent leader and his scholar, Hardik. CSK advanced to the final for the 10th time, while with Dhoni’s vision of GT lifting his 5th title, GT stood to unfold history by consecutively clinching the cup. CSK continued their legacy of being the most flourishing team in the IPL, as they joined hands with MI to equal 5 trophies by trouncing over GT in a rail-curtailed match by the barest of margins.
Starting from the lid and cork of the side, the prolific openers didn’t dismay the fans as the combination was efficient in providing a scorching start on every outing. Devon and Ruturaj, averaging 52 and 42 respectively, did the hard yarns successfully in the preliminary overs, which provided a well-set platform for the downstream batters in play. Replicating the menacing combo of Mike Hussey and Murali Vijay, their onslaught replicas were seen at the dying end of the 15th season as well. Conway seems to shoulder the responsibilities in the longer run, while Ruturaj (captain of Maharashtra in domestic cricket) is prepared to lead the side for a short while.
The middle order, which delivered an underwhelming performance last season, took the opposition to the cleaners and played a prominent role for the Champions this year. Thanks to Shivam Dube’s adventurous sixes, which muscled the opposition nearly every time. His sixth hitting ability awarded him with 35 sixes and evacuated the side from hot water troubles in the skidding middle overs. Rayudu will hang his boots after this edition of the league, and chipped in for CSK in the final run-chase with his consecutive sixes.
“Our Malinga, he will definitely contribute in a big way next season” were the words of MS on the closure of last year’s fixture. And the lad has incredibly turned out to be extremely reliable in fulfilling his obligation. Filling the large shoes of veteran DJ Bravo was a hard row to hoe, but the Sri- Lankan executed those flawless yorkers with precision. Who would’ve thought that a team who’s blessed with the likes of Ben Stokes would invest in a stalwart, Ajinkya Rahane! “Really enjoyed it. Credit goes to CSK management and Mahi bhai. They did not interfere at all and backed me up. Really happy with the way I batted and the freedom which CSK gives it massive.” Turning to be Thala’s Midas touch , the connoisseur turned the tables in the Finale with a sparkling SR of 207.69 and played a substantial role in helping his team lay down the hands on the cup.
With bisected games being played at Chennai, the triumvirate comprising Jadeja, Moeen and Theekshana held the aces during the crucial middle overs. Squeezing the juice from a lethargic Chennai wicket, the trio cashed in the purple patch to trouble the batters with their trajectories. A bolt from the blue in the form of Chahar’s injury shook the yellow brigade. Chahar was prominently known for aiding CSK with his scalps in the first 6, but the same duty was now authorised for Tushar Despande.
The broad man was ranked 6th in the tally for highest wickets, and did a commendable job throughout. Though his economy was too high, yet he succeeded in providing vital breakthroughs when his team needed the most. To conclude, it feels tough to put words for MS- The Man, The Myth, The Legend. At every hour of the clock, the sea of yellow symbolised a wave of flowery gratitude for the man who had put them on the plinth of the epitome. Every away game seemed to be a home game for MS as the stadium was painted yellow all around. Almost touching 42, the age factor didn’t cause the boy from Ranchi to adorn his venerated cabinet with the 5th IPL title.
Since Jadeja’s disheartening stint as captain last year, he hasn’t occupied a favourite place in fans’ hearts. His team fans used to go bonkers at his dismissal as it used to make way for MS to bat. But what happened last night was no less than a fairy tale emotional ride. Jadeja’s stocks have undoubtedly risen to the summit in world cricket now. “Want to dedicate this one to one of the special members of the team- MS Dhoni”. His heartening knock made Captain Cool teary-eyed too.
Dhoni’s euphoria can be imagined by the fact that the crowd goes berserk while seeing him just padding up and rolling his gloves. Nurturing green horns with opportunities makes him even more special. His words at post-match presentations are nectar to one’s ear and, hopefully, we’ll get to see him more in the yellow jersey for one last time. “Circumstantially, if you see, this is the best time for me to announce my retirement. The easy thing for me will be to say thank you very much, but the tough part will be to work for another 9 months. A lot depends on my body, the way they have shown their love and affection towards me. I’ll try to play one more season of IPL, that’ll be a gift from my side” – MS DHONI’s final words of the season.
