"Ruturaj Gaikwad is a shameless person" - Deepak Chahar jokes about his teammate ousting him for the best catch award vs GT
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) pacer Deepak Chahar teased teammate Ruturaj Gaikwad for bagging the award for the best catch yet again following the team's 15-run win over the Gujarat Titans (GT). MS Dhoni and Co. march into the IPL 2023 final following the triumph in Qualifier 1 in Chennai on Tuesday, May 23.
Gaikwad was adjudged the Player of the Match for his half-century, which helped CSK post 172 runs on the board. He was also awarded the prize for the best catch of the contest. The opener took a stunning catch, running in from the deep and diving to dismiss Vijay Shankar in the 18th over.
Claiming that Gaikwad's efforts overshadowed his catch off the final ball of the innings, Deepak Chahar said in a video released by IPL:
"Ruturaj Gaikwad is a shameless person, he took the award for the best catch once again, I thought I should have won it. So give me one of your awards."
Defending his attempt while also praising Chahar's efforts, Gaikwad responded:
"First and foremost, the effort matters. My catch was a diving effort, that too in a crucial situation, your catch was taken after the match was done. But congrats to you, it was a really good catch, you have made a good return since coming back from injury."
Chahar appeared to pull his hamstring after his stunning running catch to seal CSK's win. However, he confirmed that there are no issues and he is fit to play the IPL 2023 final in Ahmedabad on Sunday, May 28.
"We did not have any away games this season" - Ruturaj Gaikwad on the support CSK has received across the country
Stadiums turning yellow in solidarity with the visiting MS Dhoni and Co. have been a common sight in IPL 2023. The return of the home-and-away format has been a huge boost for CSK in this year's cash-rich league. They get to play at their beloved Chepauk as well as enjoy a near-home advantage in terms of support in away matches.
Stating that CSK would have had good support even if Qualifier 1 was played in Gujarat, Gaikwad said:
"We did not have any away games this season. If this match was in Gujarat, the support may have been 60-40. There are so many fans who are supporting us, many fans come for Mahi bhai and CSK from afar. Sometimes people support us during their home matches, so that comes across as an extra motivation for us."
Shedding light on the importance of good starts at the top of the order, the batter added:
"The last season was not that good for me personally, and the team also did not do well. So, I felt that the opening partnership is crucial if the team wishes to do well in the tournament."
CSK are the first finalist of IPL 2023 as the other three remaining teams battle it out for the second spot. The final is scheduled to be contested at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday, May 28.