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One of Gujarat Titans' (GT) key performers in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 final against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) was the young and uncapped Sai Sudharsan. He hit a fabulous 47-ball 96 to take the total of 215, because of which the ultimate game of the season went to the very last ball of the match.
Sudharsan's innings included 8 fours and 6 sixes as GT fought for their second strength of back-to-back title. But Ravindra Jadeja smashed a six and a four in the last two balls to help CSK chase down the revised target of 171 from 15 overs in the rain-affected summit clash on Monday.
“I felt a lot of pressure in the last game. I came to the realisation that being more calm is much better and I have the ability to do much better. I felt a bit more calm in this game,” Sudharsan said at the post-match press conference.
The 21-year-old Sudharsan was retired out in the Qualifier 2 against Mumbai Indians (MI) when on 43 and despite talks that it was a wrong decision, Sudharsan knew the impact it would have on the team.
“Personally, it will be definitely worrying, but it is a team decision and the way our batters were batting after Nos 3, 4, and 5, they have been explosive this season. I think that is pure and pure a team decision. It was definitely for the team‘s cause and I am hundred per cent with it,” he said.
Asked about his batting approach in the final, the left-handed batter from Chennai said, “When Shubman (Gill) got out, it was all about taking the game a little deeper and keeping a check on the scoreboard as well. I was trying to take my chances and take the game deep as well.
"It was more about the mental aspect, how to get ready, how to be aware of how to decide what to do in that situation. I have worked on that a little bit and obviously in the skill part as well.” Sudharsan finished as GT’s second most prolific batter, scoring 362 runs in eight matches with three fifties at an average of 51.71 and a strike rate of 141.40.
“Definitely, (I am) very happy and grateful to have contributed to the team, but a little bit sad also because the result was not on our side," said Sudharsan who has been rated highly by senior players like Ravichandran Ashwin.
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