Jadeja turns in a priceless performance

During the February auction,the Deccan Chargers were one amongst the three IPL sides that bid furiously for the services of Ravindra Jadeja. While they kept abreast until the 1.5 million mark,they dropped out soon after,watching the Chennai Super Kings drain their season five purse of 2 million for the all-rounder from Saurashtra. On Saturday,Deccan paid the difference.

First,he top-scored for a wobbly Chennai,stabilising the first innings with a 29-ball 48,helping MS Dhonis side post a match-winning total of 193 runs from 20 overs. From 75/3 in 10 overs,Jadeja broke through the Deccan shackles with three sixes and as many fours,before Dwayne Bravo did more of the same by smacking 43 runs from 18 balls. Then,his left-arm spin defanged the Deccan chase,with five wickets for 14 runs from his quota of four overs.

In the process,Chennai hammered the hosts by 74 runs,a startling margin in T20 cricket. Deccan were bowled out for 119 in 17.1 overs,with only Shikhar Dhawan,Cameron White and Parthiv Patel managing to register scores of 20s. While Patel was the first of Jadejas five,the remaining four Bharat Chipli,Manpreet Gony,Ravi Teja and Dale Steyn fell rather quickly.

Needless to say,the most sought after man was named the player of the match,simultaneously proving the value of his money and burying the ghosts of a poor show in the opening game.

Brief scores: CSK 193/6 R Jadeja 48,D Bravo 43,D Steyn 2/25 beat DC 119 all out C White 23,R Jadeja 5/14