Mohit Sharma was nailing his Yorkers. The Defending Champs, after a roller-coaster second half finally looked on top. Ravindra Jadeja though, with 10 needed off 2 and with Dhoni back in the dug-out became the Ice-man. From having people cheer for his wicket, the crowd was waiting and hoping Ravindra Jadeja would pull something out of the bag. The fifth ball was another Yorker, but Ravindra Jadeja, with all his skills managed to get under it and dispatch the ball over the ropes.

With 4 needed off one, he kept his cool yet again as a poor ball from Mohit Sharma was dispatched to the boundary to send the Chennai Super Kings into celebration. They were preparing for heartbreak, but Ravindra Jadeja, a Super king as important as the likes of MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina over the franchise’s history pulled it off.

Had he not pulled it off though, Jadeja would have definitely had another heartbreak added to his list of heartbreaks. He was in a similar situation four seasons ago as well. Against the Mumbai Indians, four years ago in Hyderabad, in another thrilling IPL Finals, Ravindra Jadeja found himself stuck at the wrong end in the Final over. In hindsight though, their was a case for him to be on strike.

With 4 needed off 2, Shardul Thakur swiped a delivery to the leg-side as the pair came back for two. Being the more experienced batter though, there was a thought that Ravindra Jadeja could have stuck with the single and backed himself to take on Lasith Malinga with three needed of one. Instead, Shardul Thakur took strike and was caught on the pads by an exceptional slower-ball as the Mumbai Indians went on to win their fourth Title. Jadeja, with his batting abilities consistently improving in hindsight may have felt he could have kept strike with three needed instead. It wasn’t meant to be though.

Last night however, he took it upon himself. With Shivam Dube struggling to clear the fence, Ravindra Jadeja closed things out in fairytale fashion. Earlier in the season his wicket was met with cheers as it meant the arrival of MS Dhoni. Now, after all of those cheers, it is Jadeja who finished things off in style.

In many ways this has been an important season for Jadeja. He was made captain last season, stripped of his captaincy mid-way, and looked nowhere near the player he truly is. Their were reports of him being unhappy with the proceedings, and him wanting to move to a different team. Jadeja though stuck with the Chennai Super Kings and has gone through one of his best seasons.

With the ball Jadeja has been Dhoni’s go-to man as he has been on many occasions for both India and CSK. He enjoyed his best season with the ball, and while he did not get to bat much Ravindra Jadeja was ready to stand up at the back end. He had a few moments with the bat as well with MS Dhoni, but it was his bowling which turned games for the Chennai Super Kings.

In the Finals too, with the Super Kings looking sloppy in the field and with Gill threatening to take the game out of Chennai’s reach it was the Jadeja-Dhoni combo that did it again. Jadeja managed to get a delivery to grip and turn past Gill’s outside edge and Dhoni completed one of his fastest stumpings to send Gill packing. He was the catalyst with the ball for the Chennai Super Kings all season and provided the breakthrough in the Finals as well.

In the end though it was all about his performance with the bat. For the past few seasons he has been CSK’s number one player, contributing in all departments, and has been one of the best if not the best in the country. Despite all the rifts though it was Jadeja who delivered as he ended the season with perfection as MS Dhoni hoisted him in the air in a rare show of emotion for CSK’s multi-utility player who has been nothing short of brilliant throughout their franchise history.