MS Dhoni Takes Responsibility for CSK's Narrow Defeat Against RCB

Dhoni Reflects on the Close Loss

In a recent match at Chinnaswamy Stadium, MS Dhoni, the stand-in captain for Chennai Super Kings (CSK), accepted the blame for the team's agonizing two-run defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).

With CSK needing 35 runs in the last three overs and 15 runs in the final over, they appeared poised to chase down a target of 214 but ultimately fell short.

Dhoni entered the game in the 17th over, partnering with Ravindra Jadeja. He managed to hit a six in the penultimate over but was dismissed lbw by Yash Dayal in the final over, leaving CSK needing 13 runs from the last three balls. Shivam Dube, who was the Impact Player, hit a six off a beamer but could not secure the win, even with a free hit opportunity.

Dhoni's Post-Match Insights

“Looking back at that over, I felt I should have converted a couple more shots to relieve the pressure. I take the blame for it,” Dhoni stated during the post-match presentation.

Earlier in the game, RCB set a formidable target of 213, largely due to Romario Shepherd's explosive performance. The West Indies all-rounder scored 50 runs off just 14 balls, contributing significantly in the final overs. Despite a strong effort from CSK's bowlers in the middle overs, they struggled to contain Shepherd's aggressive batting.

“They started well, and we managed to pull it back, but Shepherd was exceptional in the death overs. He capitalized on every opportunity,” Dhoni remarked.

Focus on Death Over Bowling

Dhoni highlighted that the team's death-over bowling remains a critical area for improvement, emphasizing the need to practice yorkers more effectively.

“Practicing yorkers is essential because when batsmen start connecting, we need to rely on them. A perfect yorker is ideal, but if that fails, a low full toss can be the next best option,” he explained.

Matheesha Pathirana had a promising start but struggled in the final over against Shepherd. Dhoni noted that if a fast bowler like Pathirana loses control, it can lead to significant runs being scored against him.

“If Pathirana's yorkers aren't working, he can use his pace to bowl bouncers and keep the batsman guessing. If he misses, it gives the batsman a chance to score,” he added.

CSK's Strong Batting Efforts

CSK's Ayush Mhatre played a crucial role in keeping the team competitive with an impressive 94 runs off 48 balls, supported by Ravindra Jadeja's unbeaten 77 from 45 balls. Despite their commendable performances, CSK fell just two runs short of the target. With this victory, RCB climbed to the top of the standings with eight wins out of eleven matches.