“It means a lot, because the last time, we said we wanted to come back strong. We are known for that and there was a lot at stake,” said Chennai Super Kings skipper MS Dhoni as his team beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by six wickets on Thursday to become the first team to qualify for the IPL 2021 Playoffs.
From being the team who finished the second-last previous season, registering just six wins, to becoming the juggernaut, especially since the resumption of IPL 2021 in UAE and confirming their 11th knockout spot in 12 seasons, what a turnaround, it has been for the Whistlepodus.
“You won’t always win games and a lot didn’t go our way last time, and it’s important not to make excuses and we have done that this year,” the winning captain of the night said after the match.
“The boys did well to keep the momentum going, and they’ve taken responsibilities to keep all departments of the game in balance so the players and the support staff get the credit,” MS Dhoni added.
“The boys did well to keep the momentum going, and they’ve taken responsibilities to keep all departments of the game in balance so the players and the support staff get the credit,” MS Dhoni added.
When Ruturaj Gaikwad and Faf du Plessis came onto bat, it looked like they were playing on a different pitch as the duo stitched the 6th 50-run partnership for the first wicket this IPL. “The bounce of the wicket was different – instead of knee height, it was shin height, and once the batsmen figured out that they have to hit straight, they succeeded.”
CSK looked on course for a 10-wicket victory, but the table-toppers lost three wickets quickly to make the run chase tricky. Eventually, they crossed the line with MS Dhoni hitting a six into the mid-wicket stands.
