“I would like to dedicate to my wife”: Ravindra Jadeja dedicates first win as captain to wife Reeva Solanki after CSK beat RCB in IPL 2022

Ravindra Jadeja dedicates first win: Chennai Super Kings beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by 23 runs in Navi Mumbai tonight.

It has taken Ravindra Jadeja a never-seen-before four consecutive losses at Chennai Super Kings at the start of an Indian Premier League season to win his first-ever match as a captain in competitive cricket.

Leading Super Kings in the ongoing 15th season of the IPL, Jadeja finally managed to secure a victory in the fifth attempt. While Jadeja (0) failed to contribute with the bat in the first innings, his bowling figures of 4-0-39-3 comprising dismissals of Glenn Maxwell (26), Wanindu Hasaranga (7) and Akash Deep (0) played a crucial role in reducing Royal Challengers Bangalore to 193/9 in a 217-run chase.

Among the two batters who played their career-best IPL knocks tonight, Chennai all-rounder Shivam Dube was adjudged the ‘Player of the Match‘ for scoring a hard-hitting 95* (46) with the help of five fours and eight sixes at a strike rate of 206.52.

Ravindra Jadeja dedicates first win as captain to wife Reeva Solanki

Having played in excess of 600 matches across formats before the start of IPL 2022, this is the first time when Jadeja is leading a side. The 33-year old player considered it as an apt opportunity to dedicate this victory to his wife Reeva Solanki.

“First of all, this is the first victory as a captain ever. I would like to dedicate to my wife and also the team because first victory is always special,” Jadeja told Star Sports during the post-match presentation ceremony.

Jadeja sounded relieved by the prospect of them getting off the mark on the points table. Clicking as a unit at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy on Tuesday, Chennai prevented themselves from what would’ve been an embarrassing fifth loss in a row.

“Previous four games, we couldn’t cross the line. But as a team, we came good. As a batting unit, everybody did a good job. Robbie [Robin Uthappa] and Shivam [Dube] batted brilliantly. The bowlers contributed with the ball as well,” Jadeja added.

Playing his ninth IPL season for CSK, Jadeja explained how he has the management’s faith. In what is evident after watching Super Kings’ matches, Jadeja further admitted to consulting former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni when it comes to captaincy-related decisions.

“Our management don’t put pressure on me. They are relaxed. They always come to me and motivate. As a captain, I am still picking brains of the senior players. Mahi bhai [MS Dhoni] is there, I always go to him and discuss,” Jadeja concluded.