MS Dhoni Highlights Need for Confidence-Building Wickets After CSK Victory
CSK Secures Crucial Win Against LSG
Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], April 15 (Media House): After leading his team to victory over the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni emphasized the importance of playing on more batter-friendly pitches to boost their players' confidence. He expressed that the team aims to avoid playing timid cricket.
Under Dhoni's leadership, CSK achieved a much-needed five-wicket victory after enduring five consecutive losses, triumphing over LSG at Ekana Stadium on Monday. The team's recent performances with the bat had been disappointing. Following a challenging chase of 156 runs against their rivals, the Mumbai Indians (MI), CSK managed scores of 146/8 while chasing 197 against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, 158/5 against the Delhi Capitals, and a dismal 103/9 against the Kolkata Knight Riders at home. Although CSK performed better in away matches, they fell short of the targets set by the Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings, leading to criticism of their timid approach at home.
In the post-match presentation, Dhoni remarked, 'Winning a game feels great. In a tournament like this, securing victories is essential. Unfortunately, previous matches didn't go our way for various reasons. It's encouraging to have a win, as it boosts the team's confidence and highlights areas for improvement. Cricket can be tough when things aren't going well, and this match was no exception. We struggled during the powerplay, whether due to the combination or conditions, and our batting unit didn't get off to the start we desired.'
He continued, 'We often lose wickets at inopportune times. One factor could be that the Chennai pitch tends to be slower. Our batting has fared better in away games. Perhaps we need to play on pitches that are more conducive to batting, allowing our players to express themselves without fear of playing timidly.'
In the match, CSK chose to bowl first after winning the toss. LSG's innings featured a notable 50-run partnership between Mitchell Marsh (30 runs off 25 balls, including two fours and two sixes) and captain Rishabh Pant, but otherwise lacked significant contributions.
Pant delivered a strong performance, scoring 63 runs off 49 balls, with four boundaries and four sixes. He partnered with Abdul Samad (20 runs off 11 balls, including two sixes) to help LSG reach 166/7 in their 20 overs.
Ravindra Jadeja (2/24) and Matheesha Pathirana (2/45) were the standout bowlers for CSK.
During the chase, CSK enjoyed a solid 52-run opening partnership between debutant Shaikh Rasheed (27 runs off 19 balls, with six fours) and Rachin Ravindra (37 runs off 22 balls, with five fours). After slipping to 111/5 in 15 overs, Shivam Dube (43* runs off 37 balls, with three fours and two sixes) and MS Dhoni (26* runs off 11 balls, with four boundaries and a six) guided CSK to victory with five wickets remaining and three balls to spare.
Despite this being CSK's second win in seven matches, they remain at the bottom of the table, while LSG has dropped to fourth place with three losses in seven matches.
Dhoni was awarded 'Player of the Match' for his performance.