Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen was surprised by the Chennai Super Kings’ dominant performance in the first half of the Indian Premier League 2021. But, now, Pietersen believes MS Dhoni’s team has a fair shot at winning the fourth title.
Chennai Super Kings had a rare failure during the IPL 2020 which left everyone surprised. Many experts wrote CSK off in the IPL 2021 as well but they have silenced their critics very well by winning five matches out of the first seven games of the season.
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Kevin Pietersen was no exception who was taken by surprise when CSK got off to a flying start in the IPL 2021. However, now, he believes the MS Dhoni-led team can win the season.
“Everybody wrote off the old boys’ army of CSK before the IPL started in April, so seeing them go so well was a bit of a surprise,” Pietersen told Betway.
“Their overseas players Faf du Plessis, Moeen Ali and Sam Curran, in particular, delivered the goods. But I’m not sure how well this four-month absence will have suited them. It could take them a little while to crank back into gear, particularly the older players.
“If they are ready, it could be a historic few weeks for the franchise. They have a fantastic shot at winning a title that everybody thought was beyond them,” Pietersen added.
Meanwhile, KP warned Mumbai Indians against a slow start in the second leg of the IPL 2021, which will resume in the UAE from September 19. Pietersen feels Rohit Sharma’s side can’t afford another slow start as they are already in fourth place in the points table.
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“Everybody will expect the holders of the competition to go well, but they don’t have a good history of hitting the ground running,” the former England captain said.
“They tend to lose their first few games and then come good towards the end of the tournament. Well, we’re already towards the end of the tournament now.
“Mumbai can’t afford to lose three or four games before they start playing because there’s so little time to play catch-up. If they are to retain their crown, they must be on it from ball one. Clearly, with the talent they have in their side, they are capable of doing it,” Pietersen signed off.
Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians will lock horns on September 19 in Dubai to mark the resumption of the IPL 2021. The final of this season is scheduled to take place on October 15.
