Chennai Super Kings players celebrate with the IPL 2018 trophy after winning the final against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Mumbai on Sunday. PTIAt the end of one of the most closely fought Indian Premier League (IPL) seasons, it was Chennai Super Kings (CSK) who had the last laugh. Back in the IPL after a forced two-year gap following the betting scandal of 2013, the team led by M S Dhoni were deserving winners. Dubbed Dad's Army for having a number of players over the age of 30 in their ranks, Dhoni and head coach Stephen Fleming proved their detractors wrong.
In the end, it was a brilliant unbeaten hundred by Australian veteran Shane Watson which powered them to an easy eight-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Sunday's final. Just as his opening partner Faf du Plessis did in the first qualifier against the same opponents a few nights ago, Watson took his time and saw off a testing opening spell by Bhuvneshwar Kumar before launching into Sandeep Sharma and Siddarth Kaul. Watson, though not fully fit in the big game, vindicated the decision of the CSK management to buy him in the auction.
Collective effort
It was a collective effort which saw CSK clinch their third IPL title. Right from the inaugural match against holders Mumbai Indians when Dwayne Bravo's late charge paved the way for an unlikely win, the Men in Yellow had different heroes. Whether it be the young Sam Billings, seasoned campaigners Ambati Rayudu, Watson, du Plessis, Bravo and Dhoni himself, the wily Ravindra Jadeja or the young pace trio of Lungi Ngidi, Deepak Chahar and Shardul Thakur, CSK had the men for the occasion.
In the end, it was a brilliant unbeaten hundred by Australian veteran Shane Watson which powered them to an easy eight-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Sunday's final.What is more commendable is the fact CSK, who had picked a team keeping in mind the slow-turning track at their home ground Chepauk, overcame the setback to shift their home ties to Pune in the wake of the Cauvery water row and adapted to the new conditions. They were the most consistent team in the competition and the other finalists SRH could not get the better of them in any of the four games they played against each other.
Dhoni leads from the front
It was a personal triumph for Dhoni as well. He shone both as a captain and batsman in addition to doing a fine job behind the stumps. After suffering a rather embarrassing loss to Rajasthan Royals in a group game in Jaipur when his bowlers were taken to the cleaners by Jos Buttler, Dhoni made his displeasure known and said that CSK's objective was not to just make the play-offs but to go all the way. He made the most of the limited bowling resources at his disposal and was a happy man at the end of a memorable campaign for CSK.
Dhoni shone both as a captain and batsman in addition to doing a fine job behind the stumps.In fact, CSK's consistency in the IPL has been phenomenal. They have made it to the play-off on all nine editions of the IPL they have been part of and lifted the trophy thrice besides finishing runners-up four times. In the high-pressure world of T20 cricket it is an awesome record, one which Dhoni and Co. will be immensely proud of.
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