In 15 previous seasons of the Indian Premier League, there have been only four finals that didn’t feature either Chennai Super Kings (CSK) or Mumbai Indians. Of those, the 2016 season comes with an asterisk because CSK were not even allowed to play in the tournament, banned as a result of the shenanigans of some in the management.
So, when Chennai and Mumbai finished ninth and last in the 2022 campaign, there was definitely an end-of-era feel to the table. It marked the first time (discounting 2016) that the playoffs were held without at least one of them in the mix. That they won just four games apiece was a damning statistic. And two expansion sides – Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants – making it to the play-offs suggested that the league had turned a page.
In 2023, Gujarat and Lucknow reached the play-offs again. But so have Mumbai and Chennai. Both won eight games in the league phase, and finished the regular-season strongly, with three victories from their last four matches. Each has had a unique set of problems to surmount, with marquee names either missing or injured.
Mumbai, already without Jasprit Bumrah for the season, got just 20 overs and two wickets out of Jofra Archer before his elbow issues flared up again. Chennai lost Kyle Jameson before the season began, and got just two games out of Ben Stokes. Both have had to rely on inexperienced players like Akash Madhwal and Tushar Deshpande to perform key roles. That they have done so with flying colours is testament to the strength of the leadership team.
Chennai are already into a record 10th final, having outsmarted Gujarat on a sluggish Chepauk pitch. On Friday night, the league’s past and present will clash as Mumbai seek to deny Gujarat a second straight appearance in the summit clash. Most neutrals are excited by the prospect of a fifth Chennai-Mumbai final, but only a fool would discount the chances of a Gujarat side that are only the second team since Mumbai in 2012-13 to win ten or more league games in back-to-back seasons.
And in Hardik Pandya, Gujarat have a leader who has learned from the very best in the business. Pandya forged his reputation and became an India player during the seven seasons he spent with Mumbai, with Rohit Sharma as captain. His first steps in international cricket – including that unforgettable final over against Bangladesh in the 2016 World T20 – came under the guidance of MS Dhoni.
Dhoni and Rohit are very different characters. What unites them is the ability to keep calm in the most tense situations. Where others might rant and rave or show obvious displeasure, Rohit and Dhoni follow what some would call the Yoda code.
“Beware of the dark side,” says the character of Yoda in The Empire Strikes Back (1980). “Anger, fear, aggression; the dark side of the Force are they. Easily they flow, quick to join you in a fight. If once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny, consume you it will…”
As with any other human being, Dhoni and Rohit also occasionally shown their annoyance on the field. But it never goes to the extent that it demoralises a teammate or makes them feel small. No matter what your leadership skills, you don’t win trophies without a talented cast of players around you. But you can easily lose a game or a title if you don’t know how to get the best out of that talent.
This season, Gujarat topped the table largely on the back of Shubman Gill’s runs, and the 48 wickets shared equally between Mohammed Shami and Rashid Khan. But there were also vital hands from David Miller and Vijay Shankar, as well as Sai Sudharsan. And on the bowling front, Mohit Sharma was brought in from the cold, while Noor Ahmad was introduced a third of the way into the season.
Compared to last season, Pandya himself has been just average with bat and ball, but he never looks like he’s carrying the weight of the world around. Even if a match is lost – sometimes in shocking circumstances, as with Rinku Singh’s five sixes off Yash Dayal – he’s able to have a smile and put it behind him.
And while the Dhoni-Stephen Fleming captain-coach combo has been celebrated for well over a decade, there’s a strong case to be made for how effective Pandya has been in tandem with the hugely impressive Ashish Nehra. For millions, Mumbai-Chennai may well be the dream final, but Gujarat aren’t going to turn up at their home ground to make up the numbers.
The IPL’s two legacy teams – the Empire, if you like – may have struck back with a vengeance in 2023,but Gujarat are still there representing the new wave. It’ll be fascinating to see what Pandya learned from the loss to Dhoni and Chennai on Tuesday, as he takes on Rohit, whose record in play-off matches is second to none.
Also Read: Hardik Pandya 2.0 Could Hold Key to World Cup Glory