"It seemed the match had turned towards Chennai" - Aakash Chopra lauds Sandeep Sharma's final 3 balls in CSK's IPL 2023 loss to RR

Aakash Chopra has lauded Sandeep Sharma for bowling three exceptional final deliveries to deny the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) a win in their IPL 2023 clash against the Rajasthan Royals (RR).

The Royals set a 176-run target for MS Dhoni and Co. after being asked to bat first in Chennai on Wednesday, April 12. They then restricted the home team to 172/6 to register a narrow three-run win and move to the top of the IPL 2023 points table.

While reflecting on CSK's chase in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra heaped praise on Sandeep Sharma for taking the Rajasthan Royals to a win that seemed improbable at one stage, explaining:

"40 runs were required off the last two overs. MS Dhoni started hitting first, then Jaddu (Ravindra Jadeja) joins in, and then Dhoni hits. It was amazing - Jason Holder's one over gave 19 runs in which Jaddu was the aggressor."

The former Indian opener added:

"When Sandeep Sharma came to bowl the last over, he first bowled two wides, then a good yorker, but after that two back-to-back sixes. It seemed the match had turned towards Chennai but after that he bowled three perfect balls, three exact yorkers and Sandeep Sharma won them the game."

With CSK needing 21 runs off the last over, MS Dhoni smoked consecutive sixes off the second and third legal deliveries to bring the equation down to seven runs from three balls. Sharma then allowed only singles off the final three balls to help Sanju Samson and Co. register a nail-biting three-run win.

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"He started from where he left off in Wankhede" - Aakash Chopra lauds Ajinkya Rahane's knock for CSK

Ajinkya Rahane scored 31 runs off 19 deliveries. [P/C: iplt20.com]

Speaking about the start of the Chennai Super Kings' chase, Aakash Chopra praised Ajinkya Rahane for continuing with the form he showed against the Mumbai Indians, saying:

"Sandeep Sharma dismissed Ruturaj Gaikwad at the start. Ajinkya Rahane came to bat at No. 3 and there was a partnership with Devon Conway. He (Rahane) came with different form. He started from where he left off in Wankhede."

The reputed commentator pointed out that the former Rajasthan Royals skipper's run flow was restricted once the powerplay ended, explaining:

"He played well but when the powerplay ended and the circle opened, it seemed it might not work out for him because the ground was huge and he is not a power-hitter, and there was no chance of runs being scored there without the power-hitting."

Chopra concluded by observing that CSK lost a flurry of wickets and ceded the advantage to RR before Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja's final onslaught, which also went in vain, elaborating:

"Ashwin got Ajinkya Rahane out. Then Shivam Dube came and got out. He should have reviewed the decision but he didn't, and Ashwin picked up the wicket. Then Moeen Ali was playing with Devon Conway and then three wickets fell one after the other. The game had got stuck and the spinners were ruling the roost."

Rahane and Devon Conway strung together a 68-run second-wicket partnership in seven overs after Ruturaj Gaikwad's early dismissal. However, CSK then lost five wickets while adding just 35 runs in 5.4 overs, which proved to be the difference in the end.