Gujarat Titans (GT) pacer Mohit Sharma put in a lion-hearted effort on Monday night to almost clinch a win for his side in the IPL 2023 final against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Mohit picked up three big wickets, included dismissing CSK skipper for a golden duck, to give his side a massive sniff at winning a second successive IPL title.
But CSK all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja proved to be the hero at the end as he smashed Mohit Sharma, a former CSK pacer, for a six and a four off the last two balls to lift MS Dhoni’s side to a five-wicket win. Mohit ended IPL 2023 as the second-highest wicket-taker with 27 wickets, behind his teammate Mohammad Shami – who won the Purple Cap.
After the match MS Dhoni was seen consoling his former CSK teammate Mohit Sharma, a video of which went viral on social media. Dhoni led CSK to their record-equalling fifth win in IPL in 14 seasons.
WATCH MS Dhoni console Mohit Sharma after the IPL 2023 Final here…
pic.twitter.com/bWaLnElXEG
— Nihari Korma (@NihariVsKorma) May 30, 2023
Not long after the playing the 2015 World Cup semi-final for India, Mohit had gone off the radar but eight years later, the experienced campaigner has roared back into the spotlight. One doesn’t see him playing 50-over cricket again but can he sustain his form and fitness to make the Indian team in the 2024 T20 World Cup?
It is a long shot with the ICC event scheduled in the West Indies and the USA right after the IPL 2024 next year but he has certainly made a strong case to be tried in the few T20s that the national team plays in a 50-over World Cup year. One shouldn’t be surprised if Mohit partners alongside Deepak Chahar when India played the five-match T20 series in West Indies and USA in July.
Hardik, who is also expected to captain India in the next T20 showpiece, managed to get best out of Mohit at Titans and after a performance like that, he would be tempted to give the wily pace another go at the highest level.
Mohit had broken into the Indian team 10 years ago following his exploits under MS Dhoni at CSK but it is his stint at Titans, which he has enjoyed the most. His back of the hand slower ball, cutters and knuckle ball continues to trouble the batters but his improved fitness is also allowing him to bowl yorkers at good pace.
(with PTI inputs)