4 unforgettable batting heroics by Bravo for CSK
Dwayne Bravo has announced his retirement from international cricket. However, to the great relief of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) fans, he will continue to play franchise cricket and will be available for Chennai Super Kings next year.
Bravo has been a faithful servant of the West Indies cricket team. In the IPL, Bravo brings in the Caribbean swagger and plays with the typical West Indian flair.
Bravo has been an integral part of the CSK team since 2011 when they won the IPL trophy for the second time. Bravo has been known for his cameos with the bat which helped CSK to win many a match from a losing position. While bowling, Bravo has been Dhoni’s go-to man at the death.
Add to that, Bravo’s acrobatics and energy on the field, you will unearth a multi-dimensional cricketer who is perfectly suited for the T20 version of the game. Not to forget his dancing skills to add to the entertainment and pleasure that IPL serves up.
Bravo is an experienced T20 player and he has acted as the mentor for the young bowling talent in the CSK team. Bravo is a very good bowler at the death and is deadly accurate with his yorkers.
Based on his earlier performances for CSK, at the IPL auction held in Bangalore in 2018, Bravo was retained by the side when they exercised the Right to Match card for him, buying him for Rs 6.40 crores.
With the presence of a quality all-rounder like Bravo, CSK is the only team to qualify for the playoffs of all the seasons that they have played. CSK has been in the final for a record seven times and they won the title three times.
After Bravo’s retirement from International cricket, let us re-live some of Bravo’s heroics for CSK during different seasons of IPL.
#1 CSK vs Deccan Chargers 2012, Visakhapatnam
Asked to bat, CSK were in a spot of bother at 120 for 5 in the 15th over when Dhoni got out. Bravo joined the well-set Jadeja and he was slow to start, scoring 4 off 4. But when Jadeja got out for 47 in the 17th over, Bravo took it upon himself to pull CSK out of trouble. Bravo was lucky to be dropped on 7 in the 18th over. In the same over Bravo hit 2 sixes over long off.
The last over was bowled by Manpreet Goni. The first ball was a dot ball. The second ball was a full toss which Bravo deposited over mid-wicket. The next ball was a short ball which Bravo managed to whack it over the long on fence. After scoring a couple of twos, Gony was generous enough to bowl a full toss which disappeared into the crowd.
From 7 off his first 7 balls, Bravo ended up on 43 off 18 balls with 5 sixes. CSK scored 40 off the last 2 overs. Because of Bravo and Jadeja, CSK managed to score 74 runs in the last 5 overs which was exactly their margin of victory in that match.