Deepak Chahar, the pacer for Chennai Super Kings (CSK), playfully taunted his teammate Ruturaj Gaikwad after he won the award for the best catch once again following CSK’s 15-run victory over the Gujarat Titans (GT). With this win in Qualifier 1 on Tuesday, May 23, MS Dhoni and his team secured their place in the IPL 2023 final.
Gaikwad received the Player of the Match award for his impressive half-century, which played a crucial role in CSK’s total of 172 runs. He also earned recognition for taking the best catch of the match. In the 18th over, Gaikwad sprinted from the deep and dived to dismiss Vijay Shankar, stunning everyone with his athletic catch.
Playfully expressing his disappointment that Gaikwad overshadowed his own catch off the final ball of the innings, Deepak Chahar jokingly said in an IPL video: “Ruturaj Gaikwad is shameless, he won the award for the best catch again. I thought I should have won it. So give me one of your awards.”
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Gaikwad defended his catch while acknowledging Chahar’s efforts, saying, “First and foremost, it’s about the effort. My catch was a diving effort, and it was in a crucial situation. Your catch came after the match was done. But congratulations to you, it was a really good catch. You have made a strong comeback since returning from injury.”
Here is the video of the catch by Ruturaj Gaikwad:
Deepak Chahar appeared to strain his hamstring after his outstanding running catch that sealed CSK’s victory. However, he confirmed that there are no issues and he is fit to play in the IPL 2023 final in Ahmedabad on Sunday, May 28.
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Throughout IPL 2023, stadiums turning yellow in support of MS Dhoni and CSK have been a common sight. The return of the home-and-away format has greatly benefited CSK in this year’s tournament. They have the advantage of playing at their beloved Chepauk Stadium and enjoy substantial support even in away matches. Gaikwad stated that CSK would have received significant support even if Qualifier 1 was played in Gujarat.
Here is the video of the conversation between Deepak Chahar and Ruturaj Gaikwad:
Explaining the same, Ruturaj Gaikwad said, “We didn’t have any away games this season. If this match was in Gujarat, the support may have been 60-40. Many fans come from afar to support Mahi bhai and CSK. Sometimes we receive support even during away matches, which serves as extra motivation for us.”
Gaikwad emphasized the importance of strong opening partnerships for the team’s success, mentioning his personal struggles and CSK’s poor performance in the previous season. He believes that a solid opening partnership is crucial for CSK to excel in the tournament.
CSK has secured its spot as the first finalist of IPL 2023, while the remaining three teams battle it out for the second spot. The final is scheduled to take place at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday, May 28.
