Sunil Gavaskar blames Hardik Pandya’s for the lost against CSK in the final of IPL 2023 decision as they disturbed Mohit Sharma’s rhythm.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) claim their fifth IPL trophy, equalling the record set by the formidable Mumbai Indians, with Ravindra Jadeja chasing 13 runs in final over against Mohit Sharma. Sharma initiated the final over with a dot ball, showcasing his expertise in delivering a perfect yorker that left Shivam Dube struggling to score. He maintained his momentum by conceding a mere three singles through well-executed yorkers and low full tosses. With only 10 runs required for victory off the last two deliveries, Sharma was diligently going about his task.

However, an unexpected turn of events occurred when the GT team management intervened. Initially, a water bottle was sent, followed by Hardik Pandya approaching Sharma for a brief discussion. Surprisingly, this interaction proved to be advantageous for the opposition team, as Ravindra Jadeja responded by hitting a six and a four on consecutive balls, ultimately aiding CSK in clinching the IPL 2023 trophy. The untimely conversation with Pandya seemed to disrupt Sharma’s rhythm, an aspect that was heavily criticized by cricket experts, including the legendary Sunil Gavaskar.

Sunil Gavaskar critised GT management and said “He had bowled the first 3-4 delivery absolutely brilliantly. Then, for some strange reason, some water was sent to him. In the middle of the over, some drink was sent to him. Then Hardik Pandya came and spoke with him. You know when a bowler is in that rhythm, and he is mentally also there, nobody should have said anything to him,”.