IPL 2023: All important quotes after the nail-biting finale between Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans.
(Photo: BCCI/Altered by The Quint)
In what was a befitting concluding act of an enthralling two-months-long Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign, Chennai Super Kings handed Gujarat Titans a five-wicket defeat, in Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium. Chasing a target of 171 runs in 15 overs, in a match spanning across three calendar dates, MS Dhoni’s team got over the finish line in the very last delivery, courtesy of Ravindra Jadeja scoring ten runs in the last couple of balls.
Here are all the important quotes you need to know from the post-match presentation ceremony:
Firstly, and perhaps, most importantly, MS Dhoni announced that retirement is not imminently on the cards, whilst also hinting at making a comeback in IPL 2024, as a return gift to his dedicated and loyal fans.
The losing skipper, Hardik Pandya stated that he is happy to see Dhoni lifting his fifth IPL title, given that he considers the 41-year-old his mentor.
In one of the numerous sub-plots of the game, Ambati Rayudu also called curtains to his playing career in some fashion. He played an important cameo of 8-ball 19, helping Chennai get back in the game from a precarious situation.
Albeit there have been unverified rumours of a rift with Dhoni and the CSK management circulating on social media platforms, Ravindra Jadeja quashed all such reports by dedicating the victory to Dhoni, whom he referred to as a ‘special member’ of the CSK family.
In what has been a terrific comeback season for Ajinkya Rahane, the veteran batter managed to script a happy last chapter by scoring 27 crucial runs in only 13 deliveries. He credited his skipper, alongside the team management, for his successful redemption bid.
The batting coach of CSK, Mike Hussey also credited Dhoni for the team’s triumph, whilst highlighting his effective communication with the youngsters.
Pacer Deepak Chahar spoke about Ambati Rayudu’s determination, saying how the batter was always focused on playing a match-winning knock in the last match of his playing career.
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