CSK win again, but this one hits different

Gujarat Titans vs Chennai Super Kings, IPL final, Ahmedabad, 2023

Chennai Super Kings won by five wickets

An epic final, which was supposed to begin at 7.30pm on May 28 eventually ended at 1.35am on May 30 in Ahmedabad, with a teary-eyed MS Dhoni lifting Ravindra Jadeja and then his fifth IPL trophy.

As is known by now, it was rare for Dhoni to display that much emotion. That's how much this title win meant to him and his Chennai Super Kings, who had finished second from bottom in 2022. Dhoni didn't retire after that defeat but the victory in 2023 turned out to be his last match as captain.

The hero of the final was Jadeja, who has often found that his dismissal is greeted by boisterous cheers and whistles, especially at Chepauk, because it brings Dhoni to the crease. But on this night Jadeja reminded CSK fans that he's a superstar in his own right.

With ten needed off the final two balls, he pumped Mohit Sharma over long-on for six, and then when Mohit missed his yorker once again, he swung him fine of short fine leg for four more to seal the deal. But that's not all Jadeja did in the game. Earlier he had used his quick turn and dip to lure Shubman Gill forward to be stumped just as he seemed to be settling in for a big score.

Chennai boy B Sai Sudharsan then announced himself against CSK with 96 off 47 balls. Right from his age-group cricket days, Sudharsan has excelled against spin and his takedown of Lasith Malinga clone Matheesha Pathirana showcased his evolution. Sudharsan stayed deep in the crease and maintained a stable base to mess with Pathirana's yorker, and in all, he took him for 34 off 14 balls.

Heavy lifting: MS Dhoni is overcome with emotion after Ravindra Jadeja won the 2023 IPL final for CSK with a last-ball four © BCCI

That assault, along with Wriddhiman Saha's half-century, powered Titans to 214 for 4 in 20 overs, but with immense batting depth at their disposal to chase the revised target of 171 in 15 overs, CSK were able to overpower Titans, offering a peek into the future of batting with short, sharp cameos.

Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway struck a 74-run opening partnership off 39 balls; Shivam Dube, CSK's designated spin-hitter, used his reach and power to blunt the Rashid Khan threat; and Ajinkya Rahane took care of the extra pace of Josh Little.

Ambati Rayudu produced an electric cameo - 19 off eight balls - in his farewell IPL game. ESPNcricinfo's forecaster gave CSK a 35% chance of winning when he walked in to bat and 93% when he was dismissed.

CSK did fall behind when Dhoni departed for a first-ball duck and Mohammed Shami conceded no boundaries in the over that followed. Eventually it boiled down to them needing 13 off the final over. Mohit hiked the pressure up by giving up only three runs off the first four balls, but Jadeja nervelessly got the job done and confirmed his place in CSK folklore after a two-day T20 final.

Deivarayan Muthu is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo

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