RR vs CSK, 17th Match at Chennai, IPL, Apr 12 2023 - Match Result

And, with that, we are done with this game. Thanks everyone for tuning in. We will be back again tomorrow as Gujarat Titans take on Punjab Kings in Mohali. Until then, this is Ashish Pant, signing off on behalf of Sudarshanan, Thilak and Raghav. Ciao!

Roshan: "We know what happened when Rajasthan won a match at Chepauk last time. Sanju for the cup!"

A couple of stat nuggets to finish things off:

- This is Rajasthan Royals' first win at Chepauk in IPL since 2008.

- This is the fourth player of the match award for R Ashwin in the IPL since 2019. He had only one PoTM award before 2019.

R Ashwin is the Player of the Match: [Batting] I surprised people. It's a role given to me. I am far better to judge my skills. I have my own strengths. I enjoyed my batting. Every batting innings, I am padded right from the start. I am okay with it. [Bowling] A lot more mental. I am getting the ball to drop a lot more. I was hurrying in the crease a bit more, but I have taken a backseat and I think the bowling is taking care of itself. [On bowling lesser variations now] If I hadn't done that for the last two years, I wouldn't have done what I am doing now. Success or failure should be on my terms.

Here's Sanju Samson: Full credit to the boys in this type of ground with so much dew, it was excellent. Everyone was involved and everyone wanted to win. We want to go back with happy memories from here. We really wanted to go with a win. The ball was stopping a bit. We wanted to get Zampa in as Impact Player. At the end, I wanted to extend the game but it still went to the last over. [On having the game in the bag] Never, you can't feel that way till the time that guy [Dhoni] is in the middle. I do a lot of planning, research and sit down with the data team. A lot of thoughts are going around. Nothing works on Dhoni, though.

Presentation time

Jims Chacko: "Sanju Samson captaincy is very much underrated! "

Harsha: "MoM has to be Ashwin for his all round effort"

Sandeep Sharma: [Last over] I just wanted to execute my yorkers. Was bowling good yorker in the nets. Was trying to bowl the yorker on the heel but I missed. So I went around the wicket, and the results came. [Bowling to Jadeja] I wanted to take the ball out of his reach. [To Dhoni] To Mahi bhai, I wanted to change the angle and bowl outside off.

Yuzvendra Chahal is the new Purple Cap holder. He says: In the first half, the wicket was gripping, I didn't want to give easy deliveries and wanted to vary my pace. Is my second season with Ashwin, so we have a good bonding. Zamps has done well for Australia, and we do communicate well. No advice given to Sandeep, but belief is the main thing. Sandeep's belief was great.

Here's the CSK captain, MS Dhoni: There was not a lot in it for spinners, but in the middle period, there were too many dot balls. If the surface is stopping and turning, then it is fine. But that was not the case here. We were the last batting pair, early in the tournament, you can't go hard, keeping the NRR in mind as there were too many overs to go. We kept it slightly late in the middle overs. We could have taken more singles. And we couldn't go hard immediately. [On his batting] I don't fancy too many things. I just wait for the bowlers to commit a few errors. The bowler was slightly under pressure in the last over. You need to back yourself. My strength is to look to hit straight. We saw the amount of dew, and after the first few overs, it became relatively easy. We should have done better with the bat. Overall, the bowlers did well. [On 200 games as captain] I am not big on milestones. How does it matter if it is 199 or 200. It is a compliment to play 200 games. Thanks to almighty. But as I said nothing special.

11.23pm If you didn't hear it earlier, the IPL is alive and kicking alright! Sandeep's heart would have been pumping out of his chest. But, he kept his cool to deliver a stupendous final over. Three yorkers, which no one could have done much. CSK just had too much to chase in the final two overs. They got very close, just not over the line. RR's defence of 176-chase was a lot to with how the spinners went. And they went brilliantly. The RR spinners collectively went for 95 runs in 12 overs and picked up five wickets. Dhoni wound back the clock hammering a 17-ball 32, but CSK could not get over the line.

Wow. So, Dhoni to take the last ball. Five to win off one ball. Four for a super over. Six to win. Who's more nervous? Sandeep on his own.

Six off two! Jadeja on strike. Dhoni has a word with his partner. Can Jadeja finish it off.

Around the wicket

13 off 4. Lots of advices to Sandeep from everyone.

Samson has a word with his bowler

21 runs needed, 6 balls left, Sandeep to bowl

27 off 8

Nissar: "Wide yorkers, the need of the moment, couple of wides dont matter."

Two overs to go, CSK need 40. Over to Jason Holder.

SACHU: "We had 3 photo finishes in a row. Calling for the 4th one today"