IPL 2023: Why Hardik Pandya and Ashish Nehra could be sole reason why GT lost final vs CSK

IPL 2023: Gujarat Titans (GT) have been praised for the atmosphere they have created in the dressing room since their inaugural year in 2022. Robin Uthappa, who got the privilege to enter the GT camp for interviews this season, got Chennai Super Kings (CSK) vibes in Hardik Pandya's den.

Giving players the freedom and backing them in their pursuit has been the hallmark of CSK over the years. GT seems to have been following it under Hardik and their head coach Ashish Nehra but an incident in the final over of the IPL 2023 final on Monday, can very well change the narrative.

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With 13 runs to defend from the final six balls, Mohit Sharma almost won GT the match. He nailed a perfect yorker for a dot ball to start with. Another brilliant delivery in the blockhole allowed CSK one run. A third yorker followed as Ravindra Jadeja and Shivam Dube cramped for space.

The equation had boiled down to 10 from the final two deliveries before Hardik and GT head coach Ashish Nehra unnecessarily threw themselves into the picture. Nehra was hopping around the boundary rope before asking a water boy to carry drinks mid-over to pass on his instruction.

Hardik also joined and Mohit, who was doing his job silently, was fed with may be unwanted and unnecessary attention. For once, Mohit looked puzzled. It was clear that he wasn't being able to process the instructions coming from outside at that juncture of the game.

Mohit missed his line for the first time and as Jadeja lofted a six over long on. A low full toss drifting towards leg followed. Jadeja just gently gave the ball the direction to race past the fine leg boundary for an emphatic CSK win for their record-equalling fifth IPL title.

Hardik and Nehra could think anything but from an outside perspective breaking Mohit's rhythm while he was in his own zone should have been avoided. It wasn't even the case of pacer being a rookie. GT might just have lost the final because of messing up with their own mantra.