If the IPL’s season-2 represented a resurrection for the Deccan Chargers who were wooden spooners in 2008, the tournament itself found further success even after it had to move out of home. No one could be happier with the result than Adam Gilchrist and his lads who made that coruscating run from a number eight finish to the podium to sweep most prizes on a Johannesburg’s winter night.

Considering his phenomenal record in World Cup finals, one would have expected Gilly to take all the honours. But that was not to be. He came across another retired gladiator of international cricket who was willing to put up his hand when it came to picking up the gauntlet. Anil Kumble foxed Gilly with a brainy, slow ball that beat a bat swinging far too quickly.

A defining moment came rather too soon in a high voltage clash of personalities as Kumble strategised to give his team a chance against a marauding batsman who could take the game away from any attack in the world in the matter of a few overs as he did against the Delhi Daredevils in the semi-final. A mild googly changed the equation as thinking man triumphed over an all-action hero.

The Deccan Chargers were on their own from there on. But, given his poor shot in the semi-final, Herschelle Gibbs, a sort of warrior whose pride has been dented time and again by indiscretion, found his resolve to be a better man.

He gave the Chargers the hope that, maybe, just maybe, things could be turned around. Targets are funny things in cup finals.

The big hitting efforts of van der Merwe notwithstanding, the Royal Challengers were on the back foot early at a time when they should have been looking for the thrust of a run spark that ignited their chase against the Chennai Super Kings.

When it comes to inspiring colleagues, the Aussies are in a league of their own as is evidenced in two Oz greats being cup winning captains in the IPL so far.

There is something about Gilly that endears him to everyone. Much the same cannot be said of many other Aussie greats. Not only did the winning skipper thank everyone, including the bosses of the Deccan Chronicle but also reeled off the names of every major sponsor of the league that has now branded itself firmly as an international event.

Beyond the four international players, the Aussie coach and the hugely talented Rohit Sharma, there may not have been too many to inspire confidence in the DC lineup. This is where the Hyderabadis and the young personnel brought over from other states like Punjab excelled.

Harmeet Singh, a virtual unknown before IPL-2, filled his boots with pride, bowled Dravid and held a stunning catch in the pulsating final overs to grab the opportunities given in a global cricket limelight.

The success of the Chargers is a sporting phenomenon rather than a fairytale. Well thought out steps were taken to attempt a turnaround and they bore fruit pretty early as seen in the early charge into the prelim league lead with four wins on the trot.

Few league campaigns can be start to finish affairs even at Manchester United, who have set the benchmark in branding and performance.

The ups and downs made the fight for the final four slots most interesting and the puzzle was finally solved in favour of southern Indian teams by the Chennai Super Kings disposing of the Punjab Kings. And soon Gilly left an indelible stamp on the event with an innings of 85 that was brutal in its destruction of opposing forces.

The adopted Western Australian is not the kind to worship ancient Chinese warriors like his famous captain Steve Waugh.

Gilly is far too practical a guy to let romantic tales define what can be achieved on the cricket field.

His three innings in successive World Cup finals best define a champion sportsman who would probably walk into any world XI in any of the three forms of the game even today, a couple of years after retiring his favourite keeper’s gloves colored in the shade of the first one that his mother gifted him.

Gilly can scrap with the best of them, even give lip from behind the stumps. Such practices probably come with the territory in modern competitive sport. But we know he is a far greater figure than that. He has proved it all over again by taking DC to the summit and winning gold for a team that will never forget what its inspiring captain did to lift them to the heights.

The triumph of Adam and his Davids against the Goliaths marks yet another chapter in cricket folklore