Ajay Jayaram’s remarkable turnaround in form shaped Hyderabad Hotshots’ 3-1 triumph over Awadhe Warriors in the $1 million inaugural Vodafone-IBL at the National Sports Club of India here on Saturday.
Outplayed by R.M.V. Gurusaidutt in the opening game and for better part of the second, the Chennai-born Jayaram appeared to be suffering a lack of confidence and heading toward a defeat. But trailing 10-15 in the second and hitting smash shots too long or wide, Jayaraman put up a gritty display to win six points in a row to level scores and then clinch the third and deciding game. Jayaraman’s great escape to victory brought a sudden end to the five-match tie even as the mixed doubles pair of both the teams were preparing for the last match. In fact Saina was slated to play the mixed doubles with V. Shem Goh against Markis Kido and Pia Z. Bernadet. Hotshots’ other wins were fashioned by Saina and the doubles pair of V. Shem Goh and Lim Wah Khim.