IPL 2021: Twitter Erupts As Ravindra Jadeja's All-Round Performance Propels Chennai Super Kings To A Commanding Win Over Royal Challengers Bangalore

IPL 2021: Twitter Erupts As Ravindra Jadeja’s All-Round Performance Propels Chennai Super Kings To A Commanding Win Over Royal Challengers Bangalore

Ravindra Jadeja, Ajit Agarkar, Ravi Shastri, Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers Bangalore
Ravindra Jadeja was absolutely sensational [Image-IPLT20]

An outrageous all-round performance by Ravindra Jadeja- 62* off 28 including 37 in the final over, 3/13 in 4 overs, and a direct hit- has helped Chennai Super Kings humble Royal Challengers Bangalore in Mumbai.

Chasing 192, Royal Challengers Bangalore got off to a rollicking start thanks to Devdutt Padikkal, who continued from where he had left in the last match.

Whether it was the slap past point for a six or sumptuous lofted drives, Devdutt was absolutely imperious in his strokeplay as he raced to 32 off just 12 balls.

Virat Kohli, however, fell cheaply for an 8-ball 7 as he nicked off while trying to cut Sam Curran.

Washington Sundar struggled to get going and it eventually led to Devdutt Padikkal’s wicket, who in an attempt to pull Shardul Thakur at short fine-leg.

IPL 2021: Twitter Erupts As Ravindra Jadeja's All-Round Performance Propels Chennai Super Kings To A Commanding Win Over Royal Challengers Bangalore
Ravindra Jadeja [Image-IPLT20]
Glenn Maxwell announced himself by smashing consecutive fours to ensure Royal Challengers Bangalore finished the powerplay at 2/65.

But, it was Ravindra Jadeja’s day. And the rockstar soon got into the act with the ball as he dismissed Washington Sundar (7 off 11) before knocking over the dangerous Glenn Maxwell for a 15-ball 22 to reduce Royal Challengers Bangalore to 4/79.

IPL 2021: Twitter Erupts As Ravindra Jadeja's All-Round Performance Propels Chennai Super Kings To A Commanding Win Over Royal Challengers Bangalore
Jadeja ran out Christian [Image-IPLT20]
Jadeja just could do no wrong. He then proceeded to run out Dan Christian with a direct hit before landing a killer blow on RCB as he beat AB de Villiers on the drive and knocked his stumps over.

Imran  Tahir then chipped in with a couple of wickets as it all came down crashing for the Royal Challengers. Tahir then followed it up with a direct hit to dismiss Kyle Jamieson, which really summed up the day for both sides.

 

Ravindra Jadeja’s whirlwind blitz propelled Chennai Super Kings to 191 against Royal Challengers Bangalore

Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers Bangalore
Faf du Plessis and Ruturaj Gaikwad [Image-IPLT20]
Having opted to bat first, Chennai Super Kings got off to a sensational start for the second time in a row thanks to the opening duo of Faf du Plessis and Ruturaj Gaikwad.

The duo looked in smashing form right from the word go, playing sumptuous as well as disdainful strokes to ensure that Chennai Super Kings racked up 51 runs in the powerplay.

Faf du Plessis looked in imperious form as he flayed the Royal Challengers Bangalore bowlers to all corners of the Wankhede. He set the ball rolling with a cracking drive off Mohammed Siraj for a four and during the course of the next six overs, he consistently racked up boundaries, as did Ruturaj Gaikwad, who also played quite a few sumptuous strokes, none better than the slap over point off Navdeep Saini or the six over cover that he hit off Chahal.

For the first time in the season, Royal Challengers Bangalore failed to get a wicket in the powerplay and Virat Kohli was forced to introduce Harshal Patel early in the attack.

Yuzvendra Chahal
Yuzvendra Chahal (Image Credit: Twitter)

The onus was on Chahal to give Virat Kohli a breakthrough and that is exactly what he did as Ruturaj Gaikwad, in an attempt to sweep the leggie, proceeded to get a top edge and Kyle Jamieson running in from deep square-leg completed a comfortable catch.

It could have turned out to be a double-wicket over for RCB when Suresh Raina went for a nonexistent single after tucking the ball on the on-side but the southpaw survived as ABD failed to nail the direct hit. Raina proceeded to rub further salt on wounds as a couple of balls later, he smashed Chahal over his head for a six.

Raina came out with positive intent as he backed up his six off Chahal with a four and a six in the next two overs bowled by Christian and Washington to race to 17 of 12.

Faf du Plessis, however, slowed down after a brisk start in the powerplay. After having raced to 27 off 19, Du Plessis managed a further 16 runs in the next 17 deliveries he faced.

He finally broke the shackles with a pull Saini over midwicket for a boundary on the first ball of the 13th over as Chennai Super Kings brought up their 100. Raina ensured that they completed the over on a high as he chipped Navdeep Saini for a six over fine-leg.

IPL 2021: Twitter Erupts As Ravindra Jadeja's All-Round Performance Propels Chennai Super Kings To A Commanding Win Over Royal Challengers Bangalore
Harshal Patel and Virat Kohli [Image-IPLT20]
Harshal Patel once again proved to be the partnership breaker for the Royal Challengers Bangalore as Suresh Raina, in an attempt to heave the seamer over deep midwicket, failed to get a good connection on the off-cutter and holed out for an 18-ball 24.

And, it kept getting better for Harshal and RCB as he once again deceived a CSK batsman with a change of pacer short ball, which Faf du Plessis (50 off 41 balls) could only manage to hit as far as the long-on fielder.

With just 1 run coming off Washington Sundar’s first four balls, Ravindra Jadeja tried to break the shackles by rocking on his back and thumping a half-tracker. But he couldn’t get the timing and Daniel Christian proceeded to drop a regulation chance. And if that wasn’t enough, Devdutt Padikkal misfielded at midwicket to give Chennai Super Kings a much-needed boundary.

Jadeja smoked Jamieson for a couple of fours before Ambati Rayudu smashed the Kiwi pacer out of the ground for a monstrous six over long-on to take 17 runs from the 16th over.

Ravindra Jadeja
Ravindra Jadeja. (Credits: Twitter)

However, Harshal Patel’s (3-51 in four overs) slower deliveries once again proved to be the partnership breaker as Ambati Rayudu failed to get a proper connection on the attempted pull shot, giving an easy catch at deep square-leg.

Patel’s fairytale, however, came to an end in his final over as Ravindra Jadeja (62*off 28) just laid into him in the last over of the innings by smashing his slower balls for as many as five sixes and one four, hammering the seamer for a record-leveling 37 runs in six balls as Chennai  Super Kings finished with 191.

 

Here’s how Twitter reacted:

https://twitter.com/PathakRidhima/status/1386315282336022531

https://twitter.com/Nitin__10/status/1386281359639859207?s=19

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Yash Mittal

Just a student of this beautiful game called cricket. Writer. Storyteller.

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