Sunil Gavaskar, former Indian legendary batsman, and former England batsman Kevin Pietersen praised Chennai Super Kings skipper MS Dhoni for his performance, with the latter even saying MS Dhoni’s return to form is a big worry for other teams.
Sunil Gavaskar: MS Dhoni Does Take The Game Into The Last Over Often And Then Win The Game For CSK
CSK beat SRH by 6 wickets to book a place in the playoffs, while Sunrisers became the first team to be knocked out of IPL 2021, officially. Sunil Gavaskar and Kevin Pietersen praised MS Dhoni for his performance.
“He (Dhoni) does it so often. He takes it into the last over. When the supporters are biting the nail – they also know he is going to do it. But that anxiety, that you feel. He has done it so many times in his career,” Sunil Gavaskar said on Star Sports after the match.
Once again, in typical MS Dhoni fashion, the CSK skipper stretched the match to the final over, and just when it looked like the match may go to a Super Over, MS Dhoni finished off the game with his signature six-off SRH pacer Siddarth Kaul. While Sunil Gavaskar said, MS Dhoni does it often taking the game deep into the last over, Kevin Pietersen reckoned this should scare oppositions.
Kevin Pietersen: MS Dhoni Hasn’t Been In The Form For Two Seasons
MS Dhoni scored exactly 200 runs in IPL 2020, averaging a below-par 25 while managing only 66 runs in IPL 2021 in 10 games averaging a dismal 13.2. His strike rate is also below 120 in both editions. But he scored an unbeaten 14 off only 11 balls including 1 four and 1 six showing that he can still perform as a batsman.
Chennai Super Kings is the second most successful team in the history of IPL, with 3 titles under their belt, only 2 behind Mumbai Indians (5 titles). But arguably they are the most consistent team in the IPL. CSK has been involved in 8 finals and qualified for playoffs 10 times, only missing out in 2020 while the side was suspended for two years in 2016 & 2017.
“Dhoni has done it for so many years, he keeps doing it and doing it and doing it. What he has done now, should strike fear into the opposition,” Kevin Pietersen added.
“He has not been in the form for two seasons, so if he starts doing that nowhere, then, goodness, they got one hand on the trophy, they really do. They are serious out, on these conditions that are really good. They got the Hazlewood effect, and the Jadeja effect, and the openers have been really good. So, if Dhoni starts coming off now, finishes games off, then others team have a problem. Scary proposition,” he signed off.
Josh Hazlewood thrived at the death, picking up two wickets in three balls besides picking Jason Roy early. Ruturaj Gaikwad’s (45 off 38) 75-run partnership with Faf du Plessis (41 off 36) broke the back of a small chase and ensured even a little hiccup towards the end – three wickets in eight balls – didn’t matter. Josh Hazlewood was the pick of CSK bowlers returning with figures of 3/24 while Dwayne Bravo picked 2 scalps conceding 17 runs.
Chennai Super Kings 139 for 4 (Gaikwad 45, du Plessis 41, Holder 3-27) beat Sunrisers Hyderabad 134 for 7 (Saha 44, Hazlewood 3-24, Bravo 2-17) by six wickets