Dubai: This Dussehra will bring historical significance to the Indian Premier League (IPL) final as it symbolises is the victory of good over evil. However, let us not call any team ‘evil’. Both the Chennai Super Kings (CKS) and the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have worked really hard to reach the final. It pulsating match will start in a few hours from now.
CSK have a pedigree behind them. They have won the tournament on three occasions and have always been a side to beat. MS Dhoni has been their inspirational and respected leader whose presence itself has had opponents worried. Captain Dhoni, may have a temperament that is unshakable but he also has a mind that calculates a situation with computer-like accuracy.
Like Ram’s arrow of Brahma that pierced through the heart of Ravana to kill him, Dhoni’s cameo knock to demolish Delhi Capitals has shown that he has regained his armoury to become a dreaded finisher.
CSK have had the luxury of a few days of rest and recreation which has given them time to recover from any small niggles and strains they might have. A fresh CSK side will have an advantage especially as they have some older legs that needed a longer time in which to recover.
On the other hand, KKR have shown their preference for playing in the United Arab Republic (UAE). In 2014, they won the IPL when the first part of the tournament was held there and in the 2021 edition, they have climbed from the position of also-ran on to play the final. The UAE atmosphere seems to bring the best out of them and this could be because of the mysterious spinners in their fold.
KKR too have a very astute captain in Eoin Morgan, the England team’s leader, who won them the ODI World Cup in 2019. He matches Dhoni on temperament, however, the lack of runs is his biggest concern but he has the class and experience to shine on the big stage.
KKR has also an advantage up their sleeve. In the IPL 2012 final played between CSK and them, they were victorious. They have also reached the finals on two occasions and have won both times.
The wonderful feature of both the Chennai and Kolkata sides has been the performances of their Indian domestic players. The two Maharashtra batsmen are now pitted against each other. Ruturaj Gaekwad has been a Chennai super performer and the person who has been very much instrumental in getting them into the finals. Rahul Tripathi on the other hand, has blossomed batting higher up in the order for KKR. His incredible back-foot six on the penultimate ball to steal a victory for his side against Delhi Capitals to reach the final showed his nerves of steel’ An army man’s son, who during his early days in the IPL with CSK, watched and learned a lot from the person he admires and will be playing against, Faf du Plessis.
The player who has stolen the limelight from many has been KKR opener, Venkatesh Rajasekaran Iyer. The domestic cricketer from Madhya Pradesh has been brilliant. He has a very good future ahead of him especially being a left-hand batsman. With Shikhar Dhawan on the decline, he along with Devdutt Paddikal are the two aspiring youngsters to replace him. Iyer has the advantage that he can bowl medium pacers as well.
The match will also have an element of two distinctively different coaches at the helm. Both Brendon Mccullum and Stephen Fleming are from New Zealand. They have captained their country and have been their superstars with Mccullum’s aggressive batting approach and Fleming’s conservative consistency. One can see this in the way their sides approach matches as well. One wonders whether the BCCI may look at one of them to replace Ravi Shastri as the coach of the Indian side.
One is astonished that West Indians have not selected their mysterious spinner, Sunil Narine, in their World Cup T20 squad. A bowler who has just recently in the IPL bamboozled the likes of Virat Kohli, Glen Maxwell and AB de Villiers cannot find a place in their side. A sigh of relief is what most sides must be going through.
The IPL 2021 final should be a pulsating affair. Both sides have it in them to come up with goods. The one who holds nerves better will certainly have the last laugh.
