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Tag: MS Dhoni

  • LSG mentor Gautam Gambhir catches up with ‘skipper’ MS Dhoni after win over CSK

    By ANI

    MUMBAI: Lucknow Super Giants mentor Gautam Gambhir caught up with his old teammate and former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni after LSG’s maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 victory in Mumbai at the Brabourne Stadium on Thursday.

    The photos and videos of Gambhir interacting with Dhoni went viral on social media. The CSK superstar could be seen with a smile on his face during his conversation with Gambhir, bringing joy to the fans, given the reports of seemingly strained relations between them.

    Gambhir also posted a heartwarming picture with Dhoni after the game that went viral. “It was nice catching up skipper!” Gambhir posted on Instagram.

    On several occasions earlier, Gambhir had openly criticized the wicket-keeper batter on various issues.

    Gambhir played a key role in India’s 2011 World Cup win, which came under Dhoni’s captaincy. In the most iconic partnerships of Indian cricket, Dhoni and Gambhir joined hands to chase down a 275-run target against Sri Lanka.

    Earlier on Thursday, MS Dhoni smashed a six off the very first delivery he faced. He hit 16 runs from just 6 deliveries, pushing CSK’s score past 200.

    A 61-run knock from LSG’s wicket-keeper batter Quinton de Kock and an unbeaten 55 from Evin Lewis helped Lucknow Super Giants chase down the huge target of 211 to register a six-wicket win over four-times IPL champions Chennai Super Kings.

    Merely two days before the start of IPL 2022, Dhoni had stepped down as the captain of CSK. (ANI)

  • IPL 2022: MS Dhoni steps down as CSK captain, hands over reins to Ravindra Jadeja

    By Online Desk

    MS Dhoni who has been the CSK captain from the inaugural season of the IPL in 2008 has decided to step down ahead of the 2022 edition. All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja who is with CSK since 2012 will take charge as skipper.

    ALSO READ| Jadeja is ready for CSK captaincy if Dhoni takes a break: Sunil Gavaskar

    Dhoni will, however, continue as a player. “Dhoni will continue to represent Chennai Super Kings this season and beyond,” said CSK in a statement. Jadeja will be only the third player to lead CSK after Dhoni and Suresh Raina.

    Dhoni (40) who had announced his international retirement following the 2019 World Cup, had led CSK to their fourth title last season. CSK will play KKR in the inaugural match of IPL 2022 at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday.

  • Pushkar Singh Dhami: Played like MS Dhoni but gave away own wicket cheaply

    By PTI

    DEHRADUN: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has compared Pushkar Singh Dhami to cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

    Dhami, he said, is a “good finisher”.

    Dhami was plucked out of obscurity by the Bharatiya Janata Party leadership last July to be made the Uttarakhand chief minister, with just months to go before the party faced the assembly elections.

    He also happened to be is party’s second CM replacement in 2021 – earlier Trivendra Singh Rawat was made to make way for Tirath Singh Rawat.

    Dhami seems to have justified the BJP’s choice.

    The ruling party appears set to form the government in Uttarakhand again, the first time in the state’s 21-year history that a party will come to power for a second term in a row.

    But in his own Khatima constituency, Dhami lost by a margin of about 6,500 votes.

    At 45, he was the state’s youngest chief minister when he took over in July.

    The state was then grappling with a series of problems and with elections just round the corner and Dhami ran against the clock.

    The state’s economy was battered by Covid, the Char Dham priests were agitating against a new regulatory board, and a massive Covid testing scam had grabbed headlines.

    Like other BJP chief ministers, Dhami styled himself as the one who executed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “grand vision” for the state’s development through a “double-engine” government.

    Dhami is often regarded as protégé of Maharashtra Governor and former Uttarakhand chief minister Bhagat Singh Koshyari, whom he served as an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) and an adviser.

    He began his political career in 1990 with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, the student wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

    He was the state president of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha twice and campaigned for reservation of jobs in industries for the local youth.

    Dhami’s father retired as a subedar in Army.

    He was born in Pithoragarh’s Tundi village, after the family shifted there from its ancestral village Harkhola.

    When he was in class 5, they moved to Khatima, which was to become Dhami’s ‘karmabhoomi’.

    He won from there twice.

    Dhami graduated from Lucknow University in Human Resource Management & Industrial Relations, and also has a degree in law.

    While making the cricketing analogy Rajnath Singh reportedly said Dhami was working relentlessly as CM and needed to play a test match.

    But it is yet to be seen if the party will continue with him at the crease after giving away his own wicket cheaply.

  • ‘Well….I still haven’t left’: CSK skipper MS Dhoni hints at playing for IPL 2022

    By ANI

    DUBAI: Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper MS Dhoni might be 40 but the legendary cricketer could indeed feature in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. CSK, also known as ‘Dad’s Army’, lifted their fourth IPL title on Friday after defeating Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the final by 27 runs.

    Dhoni, one of the greatest captains to have played the game, said he still has not left behind his legacy, indicating that he might feature in next year’s IPL also. During the post-match presentation, when the broadcaster asked about the legacy Dhoni is leaving behind, the CSK skipper gave a cheeky reply. “Well, I still haven’t left behind (smiles).”

    However, Dhoni also said that him playing for CSK would depend on what works best for the Chennai-based team. “It depends on BCCI with two new teams coming in. Well it’s not about me playing for CSK, it’s about what is best for CSK. The core group that can carry the team for 10 years. Now we need to see what is best,” said Dhoni.

    The CSK skipper also said if any team deserved to win the IPL 2021 title it was KKR and also pointed out that the break helped the Eoin Morgan side.

    “Before I start talking about CSK, it’s important I talk about KKR. For the position they were in after the first phase, it is very difficult to come back and do what they have done. If any team deserved to win the IPL this year, I feel it was KKR. I think the break helped them,” said Dhoni.

    Speaking about CSK’s win, Dhoni said ” Coming to CSK we shuffled a few players, we used them in different ways. Important to take responsibility. I felt we had match-winners game after game. People who were in the form they ensured they were scoring throughout the tournament and others were chipping in.”

    “Every final is special. Yes, we are the most consistent team looking at the stats but we have also lost finals. Not letting the opposition in is something we consciously wanted to improve. I hope CSK in the coming years will be known for that.

    “We don’t really talk a lot. It’s more one on one. Our practice sessions are more like a meeting session also. People are more open that way. The moment you talk in a team room there is a bit of pressure,” Dhoni added.

  • ‘Well….I still haven’t left’: CSK skipper MS Dhoni hints at playing IPL 2022

    By ANI

    DUBAI: Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper MS Dhoni might be 40 but the legendary cricketer could indeed feature in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. CSK, also known as ‘Dad’s Army’, lifted their fourth IPL title on Friday after defeating Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the final by 27 runs.

    Dhoni, one of the greatest captains to have played the game, said he still has not left behind his legacy, indicating that he might feature in next year’s IPL also. During the post-match presentation, when the broadcaster asked about the legacy Dhoni is leaving behind, the CSK skipper gave a cheeky reply. “Well, I still haven’t left behind (smiles).”

    However, Dhoni also said that him playing for CSK would depend on what works best for the Chennai-based team. “It depends on BCCI with two new teams coming in. Well it’s not about me playing for CSK, it’s about what is best for CSK. The core group that can carry the team for 10 years. Now we need to see what is best,” said Dhoni.

    ALSO READ| Check what the Super Kings had to say after they won IPL

    The CSK skipper also said if any team deserved to win the IPL 2021 title it was KKR and also pointed out that the break helped the Eoin Morgan side.

    “Before I start talking about CSK, it’s important I talk about KKR. For the position they were in after the first phase, it is very difficult to come back and do what they have done. If any team deserved to win the IPL this year, I feel it was KKR. I think the break helped them,” said Dhoni.

    Speaking about CSK’s win, Dhoni said ” Coming to CSK we shuffled a few players, we used them in different ways. Important to take responsibility. I felt we had match-winners game after game. People who were in the form they ensured they were scoring throughout the tournament and others were chipping in.”

    ALSO READ| Don’t get too deep into analytics, go with gut feel: Stephen Fleming on CSK’s winning mantra

    “Every final is special. Yes, we are the most consistent team looking at the stats but we have also lost finals. Not letting the opposition in is something we consciously wanted to improve. I hope CSK in the coming years will be known for that.

    “We don’t really talk a lot. It’s more one on one. Our practice sessions are more like a meeting session also. People are more open that way. The moment you talk in a team room there is a bit of pressure,” Dhoni added.

  • When CSK needed MS Dhoni in Qualifier against Delhi Capitals, he stood up: Shane Watson

    By ANI

    NEW DELHI: Former Australia all-rounder Shane Watson has said that Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper MS Dhoni knows how to get the best out of his players. CSK will square off against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the IPL 2021 final later on Friday at the Dubai International Stadium.

    “MS Dhoni just knows how to continuously bring an environment together and get the best out of the players. That is why CSK has always had these different match-winners, it is not just about one or two players,” said Watson on the Super Kings show on Star Sports.

    “He just knows how to allow people to get out of their way and yes CSK has not been relying on MS to score the runs that he has done in the past but when the team needed him the most in the Qualifier, the great man just stood up like he has done in the past,” he added.

    The IPL 2021 has been played in two parts this season due to the COVID-19 pandemic and after a long wait, the final is here. The summit clash will see MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings clash with Eoin Morgan’s Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).

    MS Dhoni-led CSK has won the IPL title thrice and after putting on a dismal show in the 2020 season in UAE, the side made a remarkable comeback this year and some fearless cricket from the franchise has seen Dhoni’s men reach the finals.

    Dhoni might have managed to score just 114 runs from 15 matches this season, but he rose like a phoenix when the team needed him most and his best knock came in Qualifier 1 against Delhi Capitals. He scored 18 runs from six balls, rolling back time, giving fans a perfect nostalgia trip as the Chennai franchise roared into the final. His innings even got Virat Kohli to label Dhoni as the “greatest finisher ever”.

    Squads:

    Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Faf du Plessis, Moeen Ali, Robin Uthappa, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni (c & wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Josh Hazlewood, Suresh Raina, Imran Tahir, Jason Behrendorff, Krishnappa Gowtham, Lungi Ngidi, Mitchell Santner, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Hari Nishanth, N Jagadeesan, KM Asif, Harishankar Reddy, Dominic Drakes, Bhagath Varma, Karn Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara.

    Kolkata Knight Riders: Shubman Gill, Venkatesh Iyer, Rahul Tripathi, Nitish Rana, Eoin Morgan (c), Dinesh Karthik (wk), Sunil Narine, Shakib Al Hasan, Lockie Ferguson, Shivam Mavi, Varun Chakaravarthy, Harbhajan Singh, Tim Southee, Andre Russell, Ben Cutting, Karun Nair, Pawan Negi, Kuldeep Yadav, Gurkeerat Singh Mann, Sheldon Jackson, Sandeep Warrier, Tim Seifert, Prasidh Krishna, Rinku Singh, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Vaibhav Arora. (ANI)

  • Putting the Super in Chennai Kings 

    Express News Service

    CHENNAI: In 2018, the IPL title triumph was almost like mocking everyone who doubted them. Coming into the tournament after a two-year suspension, the Chennai Super Kings got stick for choosing an experienced side. While everyone looked at the average age of the squad and wrote them off after the auctions, Chennai backed the team they assembled. Age factor was something they were asked about each time they faced the press. What was not lost was in all their responses was they accepted that fielding will be an issue with an aging squad. 

    With almost the same aging squad with MS Dhoni, Dwayne Bravo, Faf du Plessis, Ambati Rayudu still forming the nucleus of the side, they are in their third final in four years and ninth overall. It is no easy job. Particularly in a tournament where there is no scarcity of quality. While teams around them had the exuberance of youth and X-factor players, Chennai stuck to backing their process. There is no rocket science involved in that process and it just comes down to keeping the plans simple and easy to execute. 

    In a world where most teams and captains bank on player matchups driven by data analytics, their head coach Stephen Fleming doesn’t believe in it. If a reporter wants to build his story around it, Fleming doesn’t even see merit in it. He prefers to keep it simple by all means. Pick a squad, assign each one their role, back them to execute it. While most teams would have seen players in the wrong side of 30s as a liability on the field, Chennai knew their experience of being in different situations will be more than handy. On the field, they are easy to second-guess. For a captain who preferred bowling a spinner in the powerplay, he seldom uses them. Since the ban finished, Harbhajan Singh in 2019 at Chepauk has been the exception. 

    One drastic change Chennai have brought in 2021 after the low of 2020 has been the attitude in their batting department. The increased depth has allowed them to attack at all times. Openers Ruturaj Gaikwad and Faf du Plessis have strike-rates of 137.35 and 137.09. Moeen Ali, who has mostly batted at No 3, strikes at 133.33. Rayudu, the No 4, has scored at 151.17. Among batters who played at least 10 innings, Dhoni’s strike-rate of 106.54 is the lowest. 

    “We needed to play a faster game, we needed to keep evolving if we were not in Chennai. And that’s what we are trying to do; we are not the finished product by any means, but we’re playing well at the moment,” Fleming had said. Once they identified the brand of cricket they wanted to play, they have stuck to it. That in Moeen they had a batsman who plays spinners well meant Chennai didn’t necessarily have to bank only on Rayudu for big hits in the middle overs. They attacked relentlessly.

    Now they are one win away from rounding off an era where they have been amongst the best T20 teams globally. Not many can match their final appearances and a fourth title would be perfect farewell for a side that has largely remained unchanged over the years. Though Dhoni still aspires to don the yellow as a player next season, it is hard to see him continue beyond this season as a captain. Given that the upcoming auction is a mega one, Chennai would like to identify a core group that would serve for another decade. For 12 seasons, they have been most consistent and Dubai will be a perfect crowning moment for the likes of Dhoni and Dwayne Bravo, the ultimate Super Kings in the format.

    Chennai story After the disappointment of 2020, Chennai Super Kings were expected to struggle as the big auctions were put off. However, the side put aside adverse predictions to be back in the final, a place they have been on eight previous occasions. A look at what made them click in 2021… 

    Top-order solidity7/1, 24/1, 25/1. After the first three games of the season, there must have been a temptation to drop Ruturaj Gaikwad. Scores of 5 (8), 5 (16) and 10 (13) were below par and it meant they were beginning their innings on the backfoot. However, they trusted the data and kept faith. End result? Gaikwad and Faf du Plessis have become synonymous with good starts. In the next 12 games, they have combined for two 100-run stands, four partnerships of over 50 and one over 40. That all of those stands have come in good time meant the middle-order had the license to keep going. 

    Batting depth On the occasions when Gaikwad and Du Plessis have failed, the franchise have relied on their ridiculous batting depth to dig them out of a hole. Consider this — they are yet to lose a chase this season and that’s largely thanks to this depth. It was MS Dhoni against Delhi Capitals in the first qualifier, Ambati Rayudu against Sunrisers Hyderabad a week before that and Ravindra Jadeja against Kolkata Knight Riders three weeks ago. They are yet to be bowled out and have lost eight wickets or more only twice across 15 matches.    

    All-round bowling performanceThe franchise doesn’t have a single individual among the top seven in the wicket-takers’ list. But, that kind of masks what their bowling line-up is all about. There isn’t one single superstar but a support cast that compliments all the other bowlers. Shardul Thakur (18 wickets), Dwayne Bravo (13), Deepak Chahar (13), Ravindra Jadeja (11), Sam Curran and Josh Hazlewood (9 each) and Moeen Ali (6) have all chipped in. Between them, they have different variations, new-ball wicket takers, controlling spinners and death over specialists.  

    05 There are five Chennai batsmen with a strike rate of above 133 among the top 20 (a league high, minimum 10 games)
    603 No of runs scored by Gaikwad, 23 behind Orange Cap holder KL Rahul 

  • IPL 2021 Final: Thriller on cards as in-form KKR take on ever-reliable CSK

    By ANI

    NEW DELHI: The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 has been played in two parts this season due to the COVID-19 pandemic and after a long wait, the final is finally here. The summit clash will see MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings clash with Eoin Morgan’s Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Dubai International Stadium on Friday.

    MS Dhoni-led CSK has won the IPL title thrice and after putting on a dismal show in the 2020 season in UAE, the side made a remarkable comeback this year and some fearless cricket from the franchise has seen Dhoni’s men reach the finals.

    Dhoni might have managed to score just 114 runs from 15 matches this season, but he rose like a phoenix when the team needed him most and his best knock came in Qualifier 1 against Delhi Capitals. He scored 18 runs from six balls, rolling back time, giving fans a perfect nostalgia trip as the Chennai franchise roared into the final. His innings even got Virat Kohli to label Dhoni as the “greatest finisher ever”.

    Ruturaj Gaikwad, Faf du Plessis, Moeen Ali, Ambati Rayudu, Ravindra Jadeja, and Dwayne Bravo have all played their roles to perfection and under Dhoni’s leadership, the bunch has proved to be good on days when it has mattered.

    Moving to KKR, Eoin Morgan’s side was completely down and out in the India leg as the side had won just two games out of seven. However, travelling to the UAE brought about a change in fortunes.

    Venkatesh Iyer’s inclusion provided the much-needed boost to the batting lineup and the Kolkata-based franchise has been playing fearless cricket. Shubman Gill, Nitish Rana, and Rahul Tripathi have done their job too this season.

    However, Eoin Morgan’s form remains a concern as the left-handed batter has not played any innings of substance this season. In Qualifier 2 against Delhi, Morgan had a perfect chance to guide the side home, but he was not able to do that, and in the end, it was Tripathi who somehow took KKR over the line in a thriller.

    Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy have acted as perfect partners in crime and the duo has spun a web over opponents this season and it would be interesting to see whether the likes of Gaikwad and Faf manage to get better of them.

    KKR might also have the services of Andre Russell for the final and if that indeed happens, the side might just prove to have too much ammunition for Dhoni’s side. However, looking at how Dhoni has led the side this season, one cannot bet against the man who has a knack for keeping his cool under the most intense situations.

    It will undoubtedly be a clash of two top-quality teams come Friday.

    Squads:

    Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Faf du Plessis, Moeen Ali, Robin Uthappa, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni (c & wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Josh Hazlewood, Suresh Raina, Imran Tahir, Jason Behrendorff, Krishnappa Gowtham, Lungi Ngidi, Mitchell Santner, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Hari Nishanth, N Jagadeesan, KM Asif, Harishankar Reddy, Dominic Drakes, Bhagath Varma, Karn Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara.

    Kolkata Knight Riders: Shubman Gill, Venkatesh Iyer, Rahul Tripathi, Nitish Rana, Eoin Morgan (c), Dinesh Karthik (wk), Sunil Narine, Shakib Al Hasan, Lockie Ferguson, Shivam Mavi, Varun Chakravarthy, Harbhajan Singh, Tim Southee, Andre Russell, Ben Cutting, Karun Nair, Pawan Negi, Kuldeep Yadav, Gurkeerat Singh Mann, Sheldon Jackson, Sandeep Warrier, Tim Seifert, Prasidh Krishna, Rinku Singh, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Vaibhav Arora.

  • IPL Final: KKR spinners hold aces as world awaits Dhoni ‘Magic’ one last time

    By PTI

    DUBAI: Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s astute captaincy in canary yellow will be Chennai Super Kings’ biggest weapon against a clinical Kolkata Knight Riders, whose troika of top-notch spinners promise to hold the aces in the high-octane Indian Premier League final here on Friday, October 15, 2021.

    If numbers are anything to go by, then CSK, in their astonishing ninth final appearance in 12 editions (they were suspended in two), are certain to start favourites against Kolkata Knight Riders on ‘Dussera’ day but in terms of trophies, there isn’t much of a difference.

    CSK has three titles with five final defeats while KKR has won both their finals under the mercurial Gautam Gambhir. No team has mastered the art of reaching finals like Dhoni’s CSK. But KKR will definitely be in the hunt since they won one of the most exciting high-scoring summit clash back in 2012 where they chased a target of 190 with two balls to spare.

    On Friday, CSK’s chances of winning a fourth title will depend on how well they handle the 12 overs from KKR’s spin trio of Varun Chakravarthy (economy rate 6.40), Shakib Al Hasan (ER:6.64) and Sunil Narine (ER:6.44), who have been outstanding in this tournament.

    In fact, Shakib’s all-round abilities have provided more balance to KKR during the business end once Andre Russell sustained a hamstring injury. However, the final match comes with its own set of pressures and how these three perform when put under the pump will be the key against a team of battle-hardened “been there done that” professionals.

    Dhoni’s captaincy mantra is simple — rely on experience as IPL is not a finishing school or place to groom youngsters however talented they may be. He groomed Ruturaj Gaikwad when the pressure of qualification was off his back in 2020 and the Pune lad has played freely.

    He has scored three half centuries and with his rise, Dhoni laid the groundwork for not just next year but many more to come fr his franchise. It shouldn’t surprise anyone if Gaikwad becomes the next CSK captain once Dhoni calls time on IPL, which could be next year or the year after that.

    No one knows the drifts and patterns of IPL more than India’s most revered white-ball captain. He understands that for IPL consistency, one needs experienced players primarily along with one or two talented youngsters.

    Therefore, the job that Suresh Raina used to do during his initial years, is now being done by the young Gaikwad, who has scored an astounding 600 plus runs in the tournament with a match to go. Hell or high water, CSK’s batting will revolve around Gaikwad, who if all goes well, will surely be one of the biggest all-format batting stars in the post Virat Kohli-Rohit Sharma era. There is abundant experience in the CSK ranks.

    The skipper himself is on the other side of 40 with Dwayne Bravo at 38, Faf du Plessis at 37, Ambati Rayudu (36) Robin Uthappa a few weeks short of his 36th birthday along with Moeen Ali (34) and Ravindra Jadeja (32).

    Add to it, three mid-level experienced internationals like Josh Hazlewood, Deepak Chahar and Shardul Thakur, who understand the pressure situations well and CSK seem immune to big match pressure Dhoni is a master at maneuvering resources.

    An example of it this IPL was his “right-hand man” and a true-blue IPL legend Raina being dropped.

    The former India player looked distinctly overweight and completely out of touch and the ruthless operator replaced him with Uthappa, who had a big role in winning the game against Delhi Capitals with that resounding start to the chase.

    The Knight Riders, on the other hand, also have a captain who has won a World Cup and has been at the heart of England team’s transformation as white ball captain. Many believe that Russell the batter should replace Morgan, who has had an awful IPL with the willow.

    Bur, it’s the leadership that has stood the test of time as he has marshalled his available resources well. He stuck with Shubman Gill as an opener and the youngster has had a decent run. The faith shown in Venkatesh Iyer will also benefit the Indian white-ball team while Narine the bowler found his mojo under him with constant support after remodelled action.

    Morgan is as quiet and as unexpressive as Dhoni even in testing times and it would be a contest of two ticking brains trying to gauge the next move in what promises to be a mouth-watering three-hour battle.

    Teams:

    Kolkata Knight Riders: Eoin Morgan (Captain), Dinesh Karthik, Gurkeerat Singh Mann, Karun Nair, Nitish Rana, Rahul Tripathy, Shubman Gill, Harbhajan Singh, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Kuldeep Yadav, Lockie Ferguson, Pawan Negi, M Prasidh Krishna, Sandeep Warrier, Shivam Dube, Tim Southee, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakravarthy, Andre Russel, Ben Cutting, Shakib Al Hasan, Sunil Narine, Venkatesh Iyer, Sheldon Jackson, Tim Seifert.

    Chennai Super Kings: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, KM Asif, Deepak Chahar, Dwayne Bravo, Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir, N Jagadeesan, Karn Sharma, Lungi Ngidi, Mitchell Santner, Ravindra Jadeja, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shardul Thakur, R Sai Kishore, Moeen Ali, K Gowtham, Cheteshwar Pujara, Harishankar Reddy, Bhagath Varma, C Hari Nishaanth.

    (Match starts at 7:30 pm IST)

  • Robin Uthappa story indicative of Chennai Super Kings’s IPL record

    Express News Service

    CHENNAI: Amidst the euphoria of witnessing a late flourish from MS Dhoni’s willow — allowing fans to indulge in some wistful nostalgia of what the man from Ranchi was once capable of — it shouldn’t be forgotten that the platform for Chennai Super Kings’ victory on Sunday was set by another man in the twilight of his career. Robin Uthappa has been a formidable contributor for various teams in the IPL — his days with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) being the apogee — but he had struggled to find his groove in the past couple of seasons. On Sunday, like Dhoni, Uthappa chose a great time to turn back the clock with an innings of 63 off 44 balls.

    While Uthappa of course deserves all the credit for doing the job, the fact that the former India batter was persisted with in the first place illustrates why CSK have entered their ninth IPL final (out of the 12 seasons that they have played). In his two games before Sunday, Uthappa had managed scores of just 19 and 2. The 35-year-old had come into the side only as a replacement for an injured Suresh Raina. While the latter was admittedly struggling for runs himself, it would have been so easy for Chennai to send Uthappa back to warm the bench for Qualifier 1 against Delhi. Raina, after all, has served Chennai incredibly well in big games over the years and knows the team’s template far better than the man from Karnataka. But as Stephen Fleming reminded after the game, Chennai seldom drop somebody without giving them a proper go. So once Uthappa had found his way into the side, he was going to get every opportunity possible to make it count.

    “We are proud of every performance that a player puts up that helps us win the game. That was pretty special from Uthappa. He had been out of action for a long time. He has been training hard. An opportunity came up. And as everyone knows, when opportunities are given, we tend to stick with players a little bit longer than the rest. He has repaid us in bucket loads. His intent was good right from the first ball. It was flashes of his old self. His partnership with Ruturaj (Gaikwad) set the match up for us,” Fleming explained.

    Considering the huge stakes involved in the IPL, team owners, in particular, tend to be ruthless with their decisions, often demanding too much too soon and missing out on drawing the optimum from a potential match-winner. But CSK, refreshingly, haven’t been prone to that sort of mindset. The likes of Shane Watson have spoken about how it has helped them prolong their IPL journeys. Uthappa seems to be enjoying the benefits of that relaxed environment now.  

    “There were doubts (whether he would play or not). You listen to a lot of chatter that is happening outside. I just felt I would be able to contribute. This is one of the most secure franchises going around. That only makes a player give that much back to the franchise,” Uthappa said.