Deccan Chargers were the champions of IPL 2009
The first few seasons of the Indian Premier League were all about uncertainties. Rajasthan Royals, the team built on the Moneyball concept, as against some big teams with star factors, won the inaugural edition of the cash-rich tournament. And in the next edition, Deccan Chargers, who had finished bottom of the table in IPL 2008, bagged the elusive trophy by beating Royal Challengers Bangalore in the final. 11 years hence the impressive clinch, Pragyan Ojha, who was part of the 2009 Deccan Chargers team, revealed how the team emerged as champions despite not having sponsors at the start of the tournament and limited kits.
Ojha, who had recently announced his retirement from international cricket, explained that the team was left sponsor-less after having finished last in IPL 2008 and hence were left with limited training kits and practice uniforms.
“After finishing last in 2008, we didn’t have sponsors. Because of late sponsors, you know, when we reached South Africa, we had a limited amount of clothes...training kits. That’s when Gilly (Adam Gilchrist) came and told us that all these things don’t matter, what matters is once you win the championship, see how things will change. And I’m telling you, once we won, it was totally a different thing,” Ojha told Cricbuzz.
Chargers managed 143 for six in the final in Johannesburg, before restricting Bangalore to 137 for nine to win their maiden trophy. Ojha finished with 3 for 38 in the summit clash.
“Deccan Chargers were suddenly a different brand. Everybody started looking at us in a different way. You’re playing in alien conditions, nobody had a home advantage... nobody expected us to win after how we performed in the first [season]. We were a different team in the second edition,” added Ojha.
Chargers too had some big names like Gilchrist, Herschelle Gibbs, Andrew Symonds, but Ojha believes that the team won because the youngsters improved immensely under the captain.
“Gilly was so balanced. He knew exactly how to absorb pressure from the owners, or external pressure. He soaked in all of it and kept that away from the team and the support staff. Whatever pressure that the team used to face, maybe we didn’t do well in some games or whatever, there was pressure from the owners, outsiders, like people not from the 15, support staff, he handled that very well. It was one of our biggest strengths,” Ojha added.
