Mumbai : Ravichandran Ashwin played a superb unbeaten 23-ball 40 knock alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal (59 off 44) as Rajasthan Royals defeated Chennai Super Kings by 5 wickets in Match 68. With the victory, Rajasthan finished second on the points table. Sanju Samson and co. will now face Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1.
Ravichandran Ashwin, Player of the Match, said, Feels like a million dollars. It was important that we won the game tonight. That’s quite a good finish to the group stage games. The communication was pretty clear before the tournament. I had to work on a lot of stuff. The team management was clear with my position. I know what my role is. I have to make the batsmen take risks. I have always believed I understand the game well. I am quite innovative, they have understood me well. I want to play my A game. I am glad to make it to the playoffs and super pleased. I just brought out the David Warner inside me (laughs).
Sanju Samson, RR skipper, said, ‘ Feels really good, it has been standout. Almost everyone has stood out for us. It was important to understand they have quality batters. I didn’t expect to come back so strong, so well. It was a great effort.
I wanted to bring him (McCoy) after the powerplay, he also had really great change-ups. Cricket is a funny game. They had quality bowlers, but Ashwin has done a great job for us, he has turned out to be a great all-rounder for us.’
MS Dhoni, CSK skipper, said, ‘ I think what we need to understand is that we were playing a batter light.
So when we lost those wickets, Moeen had to curb himself a bit. Role and responsibility got swapped a bit when the wickets fell. If we had lost another wicket at that point, we wouldn’t have even got anything to defend. I’d say 10-15 runs short although the start is always crucial. If you don’t start well, even 180 may not be enough. Overall, I’d say 15 runs short. I think the important factor is that he (Mukesh) is keen to learn quickly and after every game, he wants to improve. That’s what is needed for youngsters. Next season, it shouldn’t be like they are starting from scratch. Our Malinga (Pathirana) is difficult to pick, and he’ll only surely contribute for us next year.
We have done well in patches. Important thing is to do well as a team. Crucial thing is to make the most of an opportunity if you are a bowler or a batter. It’s not a one-year tournament, you keep coming back year after year. Key is to keep going as a player for the next 10-12 years.’