Following a commanding 78-run victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad, Chennai Super Kings’ captain Ruturaj Gaikwad hailed all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja for delivering what he described as a “match-turning spell.”
The match, held at Chepauk, saw CSK dominate all aspects of the game, effectively sealing a straightforward win against the formidable SRH.
While pacer Tushar Deshpande captured the spotlight with an outstanding four-wicket haul, including two wickets in his opening over, Gaikwad emphasized the critical role of Jadeja’s bowling under challenging, wet conditions. “He’s bowling really well. His hard work is paying off. Special mention to Jaddu as well. In these wet conditions to go for 22 runs, that was the match-turning spell,” Gaikwad remarked during the post-match presentation.
Jadeja managed to keep his overs economical, conceding only 22 runs and taking a key wicket in his four-over spell. This performance came in a crucial phase of the match, significantly impacting the game’s momentum in favor of CSK.
Reflecting on his own performance and the team’s strategy, Gaikwad shared his thoughts about narrowly missing a century. “Feeling pretty good. Tough to play in such wet conditions, and to be able to win by 70-odd runs is a clinical performance. Was blessing in disguise at toss. Wasn’t thinking about hundred. Wanted to make sure we get to 220-odd. Was disappointed that I missed 4-5 hits at the back end. During innings break I felt it could make a difference and I was upset. But thankfully it was enough,” he explained.
Gaikwad also praised his team’s overall performance, particularly highlighting their fielding and adherence to game plans under less than ideal conditions. “Today we were outstanding in the field. Stuck to the plans and knew what the conditions were. With the impact player rule, you always want the extra 20 runs. Never know what par score is. That was one area – not getting wickets in powerplay. That’s the only way it can put the opposition in the back foot,” he added, pointing out the tactical adjustments and their execution which led to this significant win.
