On Friday, Josh Hazlewood briefly dominated the game, utilizing his power to its full extent. In his first 12 balls, he achieved two wickets and nine dots with precision and confidence.
For a brief moment, Rajat Patidar reigned supreme and wisely exercised his authority. He surrendered all of his wickets to India’s top spin bowler without hesitation. Ravindra Jadeja was his chosen opponent, yet he felt completely safe. His precise inside out cover drive effortlessly sailed to the boundary with purpose.
After a brief period, Virat Kohli possessed complete control and utilized it without hesitation. As he made his way to long-on, numerous individuals, most in yellow attire, erupted with excitement. When he acknowledged them by waving, placing his hand over his heart and giving a thumbs up, the notoriously biased crowd began chanting his name.
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This all occurred at a ground and against an opponent that Royal Challengers Bengaluru has previously faced difficulties with. However, by the conclusion of the evening, both the location and the foe were overcome. The visiting team achieved their largest victory in terms of runs at MA Chidambaram stadium against Chennai Super Kings.
As T20 cricket has advanced, fast bowlers have faced numerous challenges. Ultimately, they have come to the realization that in order to thrive, they must let go of their defining qualities – their speed, ego, and ability to draw attention.
The new ball serves as a reminder to them of their significance, and Hazlewood’s remarkable performance with it further solidifies this belief. During the 2023 ODI World Cup, he managed to secure seven out of his 16 wickets in the first 10 overs, including an exceptional display in the semi-final where his initial spell of 6-1-12-2 left South Africa- a team that had previously scored over 400 runs in the tournament- struggling at 28 for 4. His adrenaline-fueled efforts were evident by then. At the beginning of this IPL season, he had stated feeling rejuvenated. In Chennai, he was on top form, and his dismissal of Ruturaj Gaikwad sent CSK reeling at 8 for 2 while chasing a daunting target of 198. The entire stadium was rendered silent by his superb performance. It was reminiscent of the last time an Australian fast bowler had achieved such success against India, causing Kohli and billions around the country to slump. But this time, Hazlewood (literally) carried away on a wave of excitement by eight million adoring fans (figuratively).
The traditional war cry heard at the Chinnaswamy stadium had traveled beyond borders, echoing with fervor. The opposing team had successfully entered the fortress of Chepauk, bringing a wave of defeat. And as DRS detected a spike on Deepak Hooda’s edge, small groups of RCB supporters celebrated not with screams or claps, but with a sign closely associated with CSK fans – whistles.
After 17 years of anticipation, RCB finally secured a win against this team in this location. Their awareness of this long-awaited victory was evident.
“At the post-match press conference, Phil Salt, the newest member of the team, revealed that it was during breakfast when he came across an article on his phone discussing everything that had happened since RCB beat CSK here. They then engaged in a light-hearted conversation about it but ultimately, it was a satisfying win.”
“Defeating the champions on their turf and then coming to this challenging venue has brought us great satisfaction. With two victories and four points, along with a boost in our net run rate, we couldn’t be more pleased. However, we remain fully aware of CSK’s strength at home and their overall talent as a team.”
Identifying the captain’s impact on a T20 match may not be straightforward, but its effects on their individual performance are noticeable. This seems to be true for Patidar, as taking on additional responsibility has allowed him to excel. Prior to this game at Chepauk, he had only scored nine runs in three matches. However, tonight he managed almost six times that amount – although it must be mentioned that he was fortunate to survive a drop catch when he was on 17.
Patidar’s constant presence during a significant portion of the RCB innings hindered R Ashwin and Jadeja from completing their allotted overs. As a result, they only bowled five overs and conceded 59 runs. The team members were deeply impressed by their leader’s performance.
In my honest opinion, he excels in every aspect. His batting skills are among the top in the game and his ability to hit spin is unmatched. Of course, he had some good fortune tonight, but that’s just part of the sport. Such ups and downs are expected.
Moving on to his captaincy, he possesses a calm demeanor and remains composed in high-pressure situations. His strategic thinking on the field is impressive, always analyzing the game with great depth. As previously mentioned, his skill in rotating the bowlers during tonight’s match was crucial in maintaining constant pressure. It’s safe to say that he ticks all the boxes as a captain. It’s no surprise he was also awarded the [Player] of the Match trophy.
After RCB’s dominant performance against CSK at Chepauk, the team’s star player was faced with a challenging situation at No. 9, with a slip and short leg fielding close to him. The coach, feeling the need to inspect the pitch, brought along a member of the ground staff before heading to the press conference. However, Stephen Fleming quickly left in frustration amidst chants of “Arr-Cee-Bee!” still lingering in the air.
