"To execute that yorker, experience has to be credited" - Mohammad Kaif lavishes praise on Sandeep Sharma after defending five runs against MS Dhoni

Former Indian player Mohammad Kaif credited Sandeep Sharma's experience of playing cricket in helping the Rajasthan Royals seal a three-run win over Chennai Super Kings.

Sandeep Sharma went unsold during the mini-auction in December last year. The 29-year-old was named Rajasthan Royals' injury replacement for Prasidh Krishna in IPL 2023. He has played two matches for the Sanju Samson-led side so far this season and has picked up two wickets at an economy rate of 7.14.

The 29-year-old was left with 21 runs to defend against CSK in Chepauk when MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja pushed for a victory in front of their home crowd. The fast bowler conceded successive wide deliveries to start the over under pressure. Dhoni hammered back-to-back sixes to bring the equation down to seven runs needed in three balls.

Sandeep Sharma held his nerves and bowled two straight yorkers as CSK fell three runs short of the finish line.

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Speaking in an exclusive chat with Sportskeeda on the Weekend Special show 'SK Match Ki Baat', Mohammad Kaif mentioned the excellent bowling by Sandeep Sharma.

Kaif told Sportskeeda:

"It is the experience that makes the difference. After getting hit for two consecutive sixes by Dhoni, any new bowler would fret. He went round the stumps and I have never seen anyone bowling round the stumps to Dhoni. To execute that yorker, experience has to be credited."

He added:

"He went unsold in the auction and it should be noted that the Royals have picked him. He has played more than 100 matches and his economy is the same as that of Bumrah.

Kaif also compared the situation handled by Sandeep Sharma against Dhoni to one with Rinku Singh smashing five sixes against Yash Dayal.

He added:

"If you have a ball-to-ball watch of Yash Dayal's last over against Rinku Singh and Sandeep Sharma's last over against Dhoni, there is a big difference you will find there."

"Mohit Sharma kept his ego aside and went as a net bowler with Gujarat Titans" - Mohammad Kaif

Mohit Sharma played 86 matches in the IPL ahead of this season and picked up 92 scalps. He featured in his last IPL match for the Delhi Capitals in IPL 2020.

With 23 wickets in 16 matches at an average of 19.65 and an economy rate of 8.39, Mohit Sharma finished as the leading wicket-taker in IPL 2014 and bagged the Purple cap.

The 34-year-old was sold to the Gujarat Titans for his base price of INR 50 lakh in the IPL 2023 auction following his stint as a net bowler for the defending champions last season.

Mohit Sharma made his comeback in the IPL after nearly three years and recorded figures of 2 for 18 from four overs. He was awarded Player of the Match (POTM) in Gujarat Titans' six-wicket triumph against the Punjab Kings in Mohali.

Speaking about how the Faridabad native was grounded even when he didn't get matches to play, Kaif mentioned:

"He (Mohit Sharma) played just one match in 2020 for Delhi and didn't get an opportunity thereafter. He has faced many injuries in his career and was a net bowler last year. It was for him to prove his fitness issues. He kept his ego aside and went as a net bowler and decided to start again from scratch."

Kaif added:

"He got picked by Gujarat this year and also got to play a match for them. We know that he bowls the slower ones well but he got Sam Curran's wicket with the slower bouncer. Didn't leak too many runs and conceded just boundaries throughout his spell."

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Gujarat Titans will play against the Rajasthan Royals on Sunday evening (April 16) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.