Ravindra Jadeja blasted 37 runs in the final over and took the three wickets which included AB de Villiers and Glenn Maxwell as Royal Challengers Bangalore suffered their first loss.
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Ravindra Jadeja has a very special connection in IPL 2021 when it comes to the Royal Challengers Bangalore. Sir Jaddu loves to inflict pain on Virat Kohli’s team. Jadeja loves to inflict pain on them regularly in the Indian Premier League. The IPL 2021 encounter between Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore witnessed the crescendo of Ravindra Jadeja Jadeja’s destructive ability. With the bat, he hurt Royal Challengers Bangalore in a massive way. When Royal Challengers Bangalore were under the pump, Ravindra Jadeja got the big wickets of AB de Villiers and Glenn Maxwell that killed the chase. Add a run-out and one-man demolition’s definition was redefined.
It just had to be Jadeja who would hurt Royal Challengers Bangalore. The game was in Royal Challengers Bangalore’s grasp until the 19th over of the innings. Harshal Patel was the leading wicket-taker not just for Royal Challengers Bangalore but in IPL 2021. There would be optimism that he could restrict Chennai Super Kings to a below-par score.
Instead, Sir Jadeja chose the moment to make a big statement. The fact that he wanted to target RCB’s best bowler showed his audacity. Harshal’s first two balls were slower deliveries. That yielded him success before. However, in the 20th over, he missed the length. Jadeja pounced on it and blasted two sixes. This resulted in panic. Harshal missed the yorkers. He bowled a no-ball and was was hit for two more sixes.
At that moment, RCB’s best bowler was taken down. With his confidence shattered, Harshal conceded 37 runs to Jadeja in that final over. Jadeja joined Chris Gayle in achieving the 37-run over feat. That assault saw Chennai Super Kings posting a total which was significantly above par. In a matter of six balls, Jadeja had turned the match around.
Jadeja’s performance with the ball has to do with the brilliant captaincy and team selection of MS Dhoni. The Chennai Super Kings skipper realised that Glenn Maxwell and AB de Villiers had a problem either against Jadeja or Tahir. In Jadeja’s case, Maxwell had fallen five times. In de Villiers’ case, he had a weakness against left-arm spin. Bowling with both Tahir and Jadeja in tandem ensured that the asking rate would mount.
The pressure told. Jadeja got a delivery to spin away and Maxwell missed the slog. With de Villiers, he exploited his technical flaw. Aware that de Villiers would be shaping to play the ball that spins away, Jadeja fired the arm ball that drifted in. It breached his defences and the middle stump was knocked back. In two overs, Jadeja had sent back both power-hitters and the game was up. Add the wicket of Sundar and the run-out of Dan Christian, Jadeja had dealt the killer blow.
This is not the first time Jadeja has hurt Royal Challengers Bangalore. In IPL 2012, it was his outside edge and clean hitting that allowed Chennai Super Kings to chase a total in excess of 200. Exactly a year later in Chepauk, Jadeja’s brilliance had gotten the equation down to two runs off one ball. Jadeja edged RP Singh to third man but it was a no-ball. In dramatic style, Jadeja sealed the win.
That win in 2013 saw a flood of memes and gave birth to Sir Jaddu. Fueled by the wittiness of Dhoni on Twitter, the cult of Jaddu flourished after he hurt RCB in 2013. Eight years later, one thing is certain. Never doubt Sir Jadeja. RCB’s four-game winning streak in IPL 2021 ended because of Jadeja’s one-man brilliance. In 2021, Jadeja has mastered the art of hurting Virat Kohli and Royal Challengers Bangalore.
