RAIPUR: Apart from their identical first names and their inconsiderable contribution to their franchise’s cause this year, the Dwaynes of Chennai Super Kings — Smith and Bravo — seem to share trifle little in common. One is a bowling all-rounder turned opening batsman while the other is a once-genuine all-rounder transformed to a guileful bowler, who can, when the mood insists, freewheel with his bat. Smith hardly bowls these days, and Bravo bats only in emergency.
On the field they are like chalk and cheese. Barbadian Smith is stockier and laidback. He does possess a robust throw from the deep and is a safe catcher inside the ring, but not his Trinidadian friend’s athleticism, awareness and agility. More than his superlative haul of 19 wickets and his precious utility at the death, it’s his fielding that has won the eyeballs. Catches of such freakish nature that Bravo himself calls them fluke.
Smith is more moderate in his celebrations. At the most a chuckle or a grin, in fact he is more expressive when he gets out. Conversely, Bravo is a compulsive exhibitionist, modern-day embodiment of that Caribbean joie de vivre. Every catch, wicket or landmark is stamped with a Bravo deliverance of joy, and photographers uniformly converge on him after every CSK triumph. And this season, there has been so many of such exuberant celebrations for them to absorb.
For this year, Bravo has often been the difference between CSK losing and clinging onto last-over thrillers. “He has been phenomenal at the death. We practise a lot in the nets to get those yorkers correct, but it’s an altogether different thing to actually go out there and execute it with a lot of pressure,” Fleming had said after CSK’s 12-run win over Rajasthan Royals.
He was also the protagonist in CSK’s two other narrow wins of the season—by two runs against Kolkata Knight Riders and by a run against Delhi Daredevils. Bravo himself is at ease in crunch situation. “These situations get the best out of me. I always keep my composure... I just enjoy it,” he offers a candid explanation to his death-over prowess. As if to prove his batting skills haven’t diminished—he has three Test hundreds, by the way—he polished off an unbeaten 62 off against RR in Ahmedabad. When he is not fielding, batting, bowling, or dancing, he is giving the final touches to his music video album Chalo Chalo.
Meanwhile, Smith might be dwarfed by his namesake’s colossal persona, but he has proved his value in his own understated ways. He has forged a reliable alliance with Brendon McCullum at the top—they collectively combined 971 runs last season. Though the latter almost invariably overshadows his partner, Smith has done his part too, so much so that the versatile Mike Hussey is reduced to a bench-warmer. Last year, he was CSK’s highest run-getter—566 runs at a strike rate of 136.05. This year, he is second only to his trusted partner, McCullum, with 307 runs.
When elements are in sync, he can match McCullum, as he demonstrated against Mumbai Indians en route his 62 off 22 balls. “We complement each other. Some people say we are competitors, but we complement each other really well,” complimented McCullum.
For a variety of reasons, both are outsiders for the Windies board— Smith due to his underperformance and Bravo owing to his rebellious streak. The gain of CSK and IPL.