His Excellency, Sir Jadeja Delivers for Fan-Favourite Chennai

image-lg93coxoJadeja picked up 3 wickets against Mumbai [iplt20.com]

To most of his die-hard fans, Ravindra Jadeja is not just Ravindra Jadeja; he is Sir Jadeja. What may have started as a form of light banter with his former India captain MS Dhoni being primarily responsible for it, would soon become a sign of affirmation where Ravindra Jadeja's career was concerned. 

But a few hours ago, the famous all rounder of Indian cricket was less of Sir Jadeja and more of sordid Jadeja particularly from the perspective of the Mumbai Indians.

Not a team that would have liked what Jadeja had to offer. Not a team that would've smiled in any capacity whatsoever upon looking at a scoreboard that reeked of damage, instilling no hope whatsoever and offered little apart from uncertainty about what was to happen.

It's one thing to defeat the Mumbai Indians, the most successful team of the Indian Premier League, since the famous franchise-based T20 league's inception; but it's really something quite different altogether when you bring Mumbai to its feet and that too, in front of its adoring home fans that measure in tens of thousands on any given day at the packed insignia on the Marine Drive.

But Sir Jadeja was right on the money in this much-followed encounter, sensing the early batting vulnerabilities that the Mumbai Indians showed not long after captain Rohit and big-hitting Ishan strolled down the wicket.

To his credit, it ought to be said, Tushar Deshpande emerged up trumps in removing the dangerous and highly destructive right handed captain. 

But sensing an opportunity to capitalise after his team succeeded somewhat in putting a brakes onto the Mumbai scoring, the team flying at 9 an over on that occasion, we were left with Jadeja on the other hand and his quintessential magic with the slow left arm orthodox spin.

Though truth be told, it's not that all was under control for CSK yet with Ishan Kishan guiding his team swiftly through the PowerPlay overs, it didn't take long for Chennai to turn the game on its head right after the Powerplay period was done with.


With the ball thrown to the experienced Chennai campaigner, it could be argued that there was some semblance that Jadeja had of the occasion; was removing the well-set Ishan Kishan further derail the Mumbai scoring?

You bet. 

Soon after Ishan Kishan did no more than holding out to Dwaine Pretorius off Jadeja, Mumbai delved further into a stoppage of runs from which there would eventually be no escape.

This wasn't just a wicket; as it turned out, it would be the exit of the man with most runs for a Mumbai that was to endure a forgettable outing.

Thoughts with Suryakumar Yadav, whose lacklustre performances don't seem to be ending, but with the blazing right hander departing much to Santner's brilliance, Jadeja sensed the big opportunity and would reward his captain by further clinching a flurry of wickets.

CSK take control of the charge

All big ones; for someone who's been an excellent fielder of his own bowling, Jadeja's removal of the imposing Cameron Green was further indication of Chennai digging their teeth further into Mumbai's skin.

A perfect caught and bowled that further asserted the spinner's excellent fielding standards.

From that point on, there would be no reprieve whatsoever for Mumbai who you thought were much better off being called the Mumbai redundants instead of the usual.

Though, the biggest wicket of them all would be that of Tilak Varma's, the in-form batter departing not longer after exhibiting a flurry of big wickets; a peach perfect one from Jadeja that held its line proving to be the Mumbai man's undoing.

While we know that in the end, the big runs belonged to Ajinkya Rahane, whose comeback, truth be told, was perhaps a career extension of sorts for all intents and purposes, Chennai would never have been in the driving seat had Jadeja not stuck his hand out for his team.

At a time where the IPL is endearing itself to more youngster having always had its exuberance as an integral part of its DNA, Jadeja being in the thick of things at 34 is a refreshing sight.

Perhaps even a counterattack on those countless critics for whom Chennai are nothing other than being a bandwagon of some dad's army!

Keep going, sir!