Chennai Super Kings captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni blamed his team’s three-run setback over Rajasthan Royals on a quiet time in the middle overs.
Chennai Super Kings captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni blamed his team’s three-run loss to Rajasthan Royals on a lull in the middle overs in an IPL match on Wednesday. (More Cricket News)
Dhoni, who scored 32 off 17 balls, couldn’t hit a last-ball six but felt the match was decided between the seventh and fifteenth overs, when Devon Conway (50 off 38 balls), Shivam Dube (8 off 9 balls), and Moeen Ali (7 off 10 balls) couldn’t get going against Ravichandran Ashwin (2/25) and Yuzvendra Chahal (2/27).
“There wasn’t much in it for spinners, but there were too many dot balls in the middle period.” It is acceptable if the (ball) stops and turns off the surface. “However, that was not the case here,” Dhoni stated during the post-match presentation ceremony.
“We (him and Ravindra Jadeja) were the last batting pair, early in the tournament, you can’t go hard, keeping the NRR in mind because there were too many overs to go,” he explained. In the middle overs, we kept it somewhat late. More singles may have been taken. And we couldn’t go hard right away,” the former India skipper explained.
Dhoni stated that he waited for the bowler to make mistakes after hitting three massive sixes.
“I don’t have a lot of interests. I’m just waiting for the bowlers to make a couple mistakes. In the final over, the bowler was slightly under pressure. You must believe in yourself. My strength is hitting straight.”
He was also frustrated that his batsmen were unable to capitalise on the dew effect.
“We saw the amount of dew, and it became relatively easy after the first few overs.” We should have used the bat more effectively.
“Overall, the bowlers performed admirably. [On captaining 200 games] I’m not keen on anniversaries. What difference does it make whether it’s 199 or 200? Playing 200 games is a praise. Thank you, Lord. But, as I already stated, nothing exceptional,” he remarked.
Winning captain Sanju Samson commended his bowlers for being calm even as the game grew heated near the conclusion.
“At the end, the bowlers kept their cool and bowled really well; we also held on to our catches.” I don’t have fond recollections of Chepauk, and I wanted to win today.
“Last two overs were tensed, I tried to push it deep but you are never safe with that guy (Dhoni),” Samson remarked of Dhoni’s fast fire. You have to appreciate that person and what he is capable of. Nothing works in his favour.”
