With their impressive win over Gujarat Titans in the first qualifier of IPL 2023, Chennai Super Kings sealed a record-extending 10th final appearance and thus completed a remarkable turnaround since finishing 9th in the standings last year.
It was a testament to CSK’s rich legacy of stepping up when it matters the most with MS Dhoni now just a step away from guiding them to what will be record-equaling fifth IPL title should they emerge victorious on Sunday when the final will be played.
India legend Sourav Ganguly says the latest result shows CSK know how to win big matches and he praised the ‘remarkable’ captaincy of Dhoni.
“Chennai Super Kings and MS Dhoni have been fantastic. They have shown how to win big matches. Dhoni has been remarkable in his captaincy. He has shown how to win big matches,” Ganguly told India Today.
While others sing praises of his leadership, Dhoni calls himself an ‘annoying’ captain who is constantly moving his fielders based on what his gut his telling him.
“The fielder needs to keep an eye on me,” Dhoni said after CSK defeated defending champions GT at Chepauk. “Imagine you are fielding and every two balls or three balls, I am like, ‘Okay two feet to your right, three feet to your left.’ It can be annoying. I always say I believe in my gut feel, I see the wicket, the line, what is really happening and more often than not, it pays off.”
“The only request I ask from the fielders is ‘keep an eye on me, if you drop a catch, there won’t be any reactions but just keep an eye on me,'” he added.
Dhoni also credited the positive environment CSK have created that allows players to flourish. The likes of Ajinkya Rahane, Shivam Dube, Tushar Deshpande among others have been quite impressive for the franchise this season.
“We try to create an environment. Other than that, we reiterate as to what is the strength of the fast bowler. Along with that, we make sure that they are improving in the areas where they need to be good at,” Dhoni said. “At the IPL, more often than not with the new ball, they (bowlers) know what needs to be done. The question is when it is not swinging, when it is not in your favour, then with the two fielders, where you can bowl to a particular batsman and what field you can keep. If a bowler knows that, more often than not, he will be successful.
“We try to motivate them as much as possible. The support staff is there, they are always there. Now, [Dwayne] Bravo is there, Eric [Simons] is there. There are lot of people who can help them out. At the end of the day, when they are standing, they are there on their own. It is a very lonely place, but that’s where you can be brave and courageous,” he added.
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