When Suresh Raina walked in to bat during Chennai Super Kings' chase of 148 in the final, Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma placed a short fine leg to welcome the left-hander.
Lasith Malinga did his bit by bowling a well-directed bouncer, as Raina could only manage to pop a catch to Dwayne Smith at short fine leg. It was another example of Rohit's clever captaincy. He had picked on Raina's weakness, possibly at the most opportune moment of the event.
"The extra responsibility has transformed Rohit. He thrives under pressure," coach, Dinesh Lad, told HT. Before the start of the season, Rohit had discussed the possibility with his coach. "He knew he could get a chance to lead the side and was up for it. "When he missed out on the World Cup, Rohit was disappointed. But he is positive now.”