The MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) became the second team to reach the IPL 2023 playoffs, and have consolidated their second position in the points table with an emphatic 77 runs victory over Delhi Capitals in their last league game in Delhi.
The mammoth size of this victory means that CSK has all but sealed the second spot as their NRR is +0.652. Only LSG can dethrone them from the second spot but their NRR is +0.304; so LSG would also need a big win over KKR in their last game.
Nonetheless, it is celebration time in the CSK camp and among the fans who are hailing the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led group to have made it into their 12th IPL playoffs in their 14 seasons appearances. This is incredible consistency shown from CSK in the IPL.
One of India’s premier news anchors and journalists, Rajdeep Sardesai, too, tweeted to hail Mahendra Singh Dhoni for his great captaincy on the field and leadership off it so that it brings the best out of his players. Sardesai also applauded Dhoni and Stephen Fleming for showing faith in senior Indian batters like Rahane and Rayudu who have helped CSK reach the playoffs.
In Rajdeep Sardesai’s mind, there is no better captain in white-ball cricket than MS Dhoni.
“IPL gyaan: CSK has reached the IPL final playoffs now 12 years out of 14. That level of consistency in T 20 cricket is quite remarkable. Credit to the team management led by Stephen Fleming and his back room but above all else to @msdhoni,” Rajdeep Sardesai tweeted, adding, “He is just amazing in his ability to lift a team to play to their max ability year after year. And nurture young talent and revive the old! As captain, he is numero uno globally in the white ball game! Salute!”
Here, check out Rajdeep Sardesai’s tweet for MS Dhoni:
IPL gyaan: CSK has reached the IPL final playoffs now 12 years out of 14. That level of consistency in T 20 cricket is quite remarkable. Credit to the team management led by Stephen Fleming and his back room but above all else to @msdhoni . He is just amazing in his ability to…
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) May 20, 2023
Speaking about the DC vs CSK match, Conway and Gaikwad’s 141-run opening partnership laid down for CSK’s eventual total of 223. In reply, only David Warner fought valiantly and DC could manage only 146.
Speaking at the post-match presentation, MS Dhoni said: “There is no recipe for success, you try and pick the best players and give them the best slot to perform. And groom them in the areas where they are not strong, somebody has to sacrifice their slot for the team. Credit to the management as well, they always back us. But, the players are most important, without the players we can’t do anything.
“I think death bowling, confidence is very important. Tushar has developed because he is able to execute under pressure, he has the confidence now. And when you keep playing the same players, it helps. I think the bowlers have also taken the responsibility, Pathirana is quite a natural to bowling at the death but Deshpande has really developed there. I think we need to figure out and pick players who are team first – not bothered about individual performance and perform the best at knockout stages. It is difficult to judge from the outside, we tryand adjust to the players and environment as well. Even if they come 10%, we can adjust 50% to fit them better into the team.”
