CSK & The Great Fight

The battle lines were drawn. The Sun was blazing through the clear afternoon sky, down into the steamy cauldron. The arena where the battle will be fought was a sea of yellow spectators dotted with purple patches. The roar was deafening. It was a battle between Chennai lions and Bengal tigers.

Chennai Super Kings, led by Shah-en-shah Mahendra Singh Dhoni, undisputed commander of all forms of battle. He had led whatever battalion was given to him to glorious victory over the last 15 years. There were no frontiers on earth that he hadn’t conquered. He played on his terms and if he chose to stay away no one could convince him. CSK was his baby. Reaching its teenage growing to be powerful and a force to reckon with.

Now, years of toil was taking a toll. He still needed to focus. For perhaps one last sigh. His eyes were as sharp, his mind as alert and his fitness as ever despite long years of hard work, punishing training regimen and enduring battle days. He had with him a set of soldiers with mix of youthful aggression, who were waiting to be unleashed and experienced old war horses who needn’t be told what to do.

This posse of players had over the last six months battled armies ten times their size and had risen victorious to face this final challenge.

This was the occasion. Last frontier to be won. The Opponents were no less formidable. Kolkata Knight Riders were led by a Brit who had won many wars. They had players who could match blow for blow. All equally hungry and trained for the kill. They were knights highly skilled with multiple arms and ammunition all charged. They had, in the recent times come back from behind and won many battles with aplomb.

The battle started. CSKs two gladiators where thrown in. A young, inform Rituraj and seasoned commander South African Faf, were in the battle wielding the bat against 11 hungry tigers prowling the ground. Waiting to suck their blood. The two showed enormous courage and sent the tigers scurrying across the sundried grass. Ritu was felled by some tricky bowling by Narine, who set the trap. In came the phoenix, Robin Uttappa. Who rose to form to deliver a short yet valiant innings never to let the momentum of loss of Ritu down. He fell to a slippery ball from Narine that broke the gates. Moeen Ali came in and delivered a similar cameo display of aggressive batting defending and hitting back. Faf was standing tall and ticking away nonchalantly making sure he was holding fort on one side and keeping the momentum up. At last he fell when he was at the gates of beating fellow comrade Ritu as the top scorer.

KKR started with their scorching openers. Iyer early on, cut through to Dhoni who missed to hold on to a blinder. They were cleaning the CSK men hooking, cutting lofting with utter disdain. The CSK war veteran brought in a “Semi Chakravuh” building an impenetrable fortress on the offside. Iyer the valiant Abhimanyu tore repeatedly through this fortress with power and precision that froze the men guarding the 30 yard line. Successive incisions led to CSK bleeding runs. The wise commander of CSK brought in the steady Thakur who got the first break through inviting Iyer to swash one deep sweeper cover. The safest arm of Indian cricket held on to end what was a great fight. After his exit the KKR batmen collapsed pretty consistently not making much contribution and some very wily bowling by CSK veteran Bravo. The borders were patrolled by Sir Jadeja, Rayudu and Deepak Chahar who did not lêt a single canon ball break the line.

Finally the KKR men perished and did not have enough steam to cross the line, surrendered. The Shah-en-Shah was once again crowned the undisputed king. The biggest season of the year yet draws to close as more than 2 billion people watched the gladiatorial fight.

CSK Wins. IPL Wins. Cricket wins! Peace prevails..