Mumbai: New Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper Ravindra Jadeja conceded after the team’s first win in IPL 2022 on Tuesday that he was still some distance away from acquiring all the leadership qualities, saying he continues to “pick the brains” of senior players and is “learning” to get better with each game.
Jadeja had come in for criticism following the defending champions’ string of four consecutive losses in IPL 2022, with critics says that CSK had lost its winning ways after Mahendra Singh Dhoni relinquished captaincy of the four-time IPL champion side.
But on Tuesday night, CSK notched their first win in five matches, defeating the in-form Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by 23 runs in a high-scoring match, with Robin Uthappa and Shivam Dube scoring masterful knocks of 88 and an unbeaten 95, respectively.
Thanks to Uthappa and Dube’s quick-fire half centuries, the duo not only offset CSK’s poor start — when opener Ruturaj Gaikwad (17) and Moeen Ali (3) went cheaply — they piled up a mammoth 216/4 in 20 overs and then restricted Faf du Plessis’ side to 193/9 in the ‘Southern Derby’.
“As a captain, I am still picking brains of the senior players. Mahi (Dhoni) bhai is there, I always go to him and discuss. I am still learning and trying to get better with each game,” said Jadeja after the match. Jadeja himself was one of the architects of the victory, coming up with superb bowling figures of 3/39.
“We have plenty of experience in our dressing room. Experience comes into play, we don’t panic early. We try to keep ourselves calm, we back ourselves and we look to play positive cricket. We’ll look to push hard, we’ve got the momentum and now we will look to continue,” added Jadeja.
“I would like to dedicate it to my wife because first victory is always special,” he said. “As a team, we came good. As a batting unit, everybody did a good job. Robbie (Uthappa) and Shivam (Dube) batted brilliantly. The bowlers contributed with the ball as well.”
Dube and Uthappa too said that the pressure to win was so intense that it spurred them to give off their best against the star-studded RCB. Dube smashed an unbeaten 95 off 46, while Uthappa scored 88 off 50.
“We were looking for the first win and I am really happy that I contributed for the team. It’s an honour for me to contribute to a win. I am more focused this time and focusing on basics. I spoke to many seniors — Mahi bhai also helped me to improve the game. He said, ‘Just be focused, just be still, just let the skill work in the game.’ More than hitting straight, I just wanted to time the ball really well wherever I hit. I tried to maintain by balance,” said Dube.
Dube said that former India cricketer Yuvraj Singh was one of his role models and added that he’s ready to bat in any position the team demands.
“Yuvi pa (Yuvraj) is always a role model for a left-hander. Many people told me that I bat like him. As the situation demands, as the captain and coach tell me, I am ready to bat anywhere.”
Uthappa elaborated on their strategy during the record 73-ball 165-run partnership. “Not much conversation with him, he has been hitting the ball well, I made sure to build a partnership with him and rotated strike. When Maxwell came in to bowl his third over, I felt it was the time to take him on even though it was the bigger boundary. An off-spinner bowling, so I decided to take him on.
“When the spinners were bowling, I tried to feed him (Dube) as much strike as possible because he can hit big sixes. When the pacers were back on, I told him to give me the strike back.”
–IANS