“Last over we spoke and said that somehow we need two good shots. It could be two fours or two sixes. We had belief that we can’t lose from here on,” Dube told The Indian Express. The plan seemed perfect, it was a matter of two biggies which would see CSK lifting their fifth crown.

In reality all planned things don’t always go the way they should though. Especially in big games between two quality oppositions.

Hardik Pandya, skipper of Gujarat Titans, had kept the last over for his most trusted pacer and their man in form, Mohit Sharma. The Haryana pacer had experience and he had done it in the past this season. Sharma a pacer who was part of India’s 50 over World Cup team in 2015 had a fairy tale ride from net ball bowler to being fielded by Gujarat Titans.

Only someone with experience and mentally tough could have endured those heart stopping moments. The packed stadium which saw a crowd of more than 80,000 couldn’t have asked for more than such a nail biting thriller.

𝗗𝗢 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗠𝗜𝗦𝗦!

Two shots of excellence and composure!

Finishing in style, the Ravindra Jadeja way 🙌#TATAIPL | #Final | #CSKvGT pic.twitter.com/EbJPBGGGFu

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 29, 2023

Sharma recalls those moments. “My mind was very clear in what I wanted to do. In the nets, I had practiced such situations and I have been in such scenarios before too. So I said let me bowl all balls yorkers and was backing my instinct,” the Haryana speedster told this paper. Sharma bowled what he had planned. First four balls, CSK managed only three runs. It had one golden dot ball.

For those CSK fans, who had slept at Ahmedabad station, travelled from all across India and spent two days in a dry state, they surely wanted to see what might be MS Dhoni’s last dance. Since the beginning of IPL season there was anticipation that this could be his last. But Dhoni had gone back on the first ball. The anxious expressions in the CSK dressing room had said it all. Could Dube or Jadeja be the men that CSK wanted? The first four balls was about tackling some quality stuff.

Dube recalled how well Sharma bowled those four balls. “It had nothing for us. We tried but credit should to to Mohit bhai the way he bowled,” the CSK batsman said.

With ten runs needed of last two balls, Gujarat Titans went in a small huddle with Pandya and team support staff. Sharma later recalled what was the conversation about, “They wanted to know what will be his plan of action. I said I will again try to bowl yorker. People are now saying this and that but frankly it has no meaning. I knew what I wanted to do.”

Gujarat Titans’ Mohit Sharma, left, listens to captain Hardik Pandya before bowling his next delivery during the Indian Premier League final. (AP Photo)

Jadeja was waiting that somehow the ball should land in his zone where he could swing hard. Later in the day he revealed what was running in his mind.

“I was just thinking I need to swing hard, as much as I can. Where the ball will go, I was not thinking about that, just looking to swing hard. I was backing myself and looking to hit straight, because I know Mohit can bowl those slower balls,” Jadeja said during post game interaction.

Dube, who was standing at the non-striker end too had confidence in Jadeja’s ability. Jadeja hit a six straight behind the bowler’s head. One ball, four runs need. It would make someone hero of the night and someone would be soon become the villain of the piece.

Dube recalled how several thoughts were going through his mind in those two balls.

“When last two balls were bowled I was somewhere confident that Jaddu will connect somehow. When he hit a six, it was great relief. Last ball I was hoping that if we don’t connect we will run three. I know that running three won’t be easy but I just wanted to run as hard as I can. Kuch bhi karo match tie tak toh lana hai. But Jaddu connected and he sprinted after that hit,” Dube adds.

Chennai Super Kings’ Ravindra Jadeja, right, holds both his and batting partner Shivam Dube’s bat during the Indian Premier League final cricket match. (AP Photo)

Sharma said even after being hit for a six, he had to believe that he will pull this off. He had no other choice other than to back himself. All these years he had practiced to witness such a day. Back in the nets, he had been thrown challenges by his team mates during match simulations and most of the times he had returned with a smile.

Sharma says he was just trying to bowl near the toes, a perfect yorker.

“I ran and tried to bowl (yorker) again. I just wanted to be focussed and back myself. Whole IPL I have done that. The ball landed where it shouldn’t have and Jadeja got his bat. I tried, I tried my best,” he says.

Jadeja became the king of the night. He ran as fast as he could, probably the fastest he had run till date. Dube wanted to give high-five but he couldn’t as Jadeja didn’t even look behind and ran towards Gujarat Titans’ dressing room. “Bahut tez bhaga woh,” Dube recollects. He took a steep turn like a flight does before landing.

He was approaching CSK’s dugout. He jumped over Dhoni. Lately there has been murmurs that all is not good with Jadeja and CSK. The innings and win seems to have buried everything.

As Jadeja was in Dhoni’s arms, the man who never showed his emotions on field looked emotional. Dhoni closed his eyes and held onto his tears.

Few yards apart, Sharma looked dejected.

He went back to the dressing room and sat in one corner. Ashish Nehra, coach of Gujarat came and made him understand that he gave his best. Result was never in his hand.

For CSK it was the night they couldn’t sleep and in Gujarat camp few couldn’t sleep because they missed it by whisker.

Sharma would say, “I couldn’t sleep. Sochta raha kya alag karta joh match jeet jaate. What if I could have bowled this ball or that ball? It’s not a nice feeling now.

Somewhere something is missing but I’m trying to move on,” he says. Further recounting his journey in IPL so far. “I was picked from nowhere. I remember speaking to Ani bhai (Anirudh Chaudhary, a veteran Haryana administrator) before the season what shall I do? Shall I continue or not. He had said I should try to play. I had come with no expectation and just have continued to work hard. My work ethic has remained the same. I don’t know what lies ahead, but I have enjoyed my journey,” Sharma says.