CSK bowling coach Eric Simons has recently said that MS Dhoni’s swashbuckling knock affected Mumbai Indians psychologically during the IPL 2024 match on Sunday, April 14 at the Wankhede Stadium as well. He came to bat in the last over, and then the vintage Dhoni took no time to set his eyes on and helped Chennai post a big score of 206 for 4 on the board after their allotted overs. He started his knock with 3 huge sixes off Hardik Pandya, after which he finished off with a quick double as well.
Dhoni scored an unbeaten 20 off 4 balls as CSK finished their innings at 206 for 4 as well. With this, he also became the first Indian to hit 3 consecutive sixes in the first 3 balls of an IPL innings. Apart from that, Dhoni also became the 2nd batter after Suresh Raina to score 5000 runs for his franchise, CSK. Simons also added that MI were jolted badly when they were unable to restrict Chennai to a score of under 200 as well.
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“Such an important thing is the psychological pressure you put an opposition in when you go into the break. You go to the changeroom and you have an over like that, it gives you massive momentum. They were looking to restrict us under 200 and suddenly they were facing 2006 with an over like that. MS Dhoni continues to amaze us,” Simons said in the post-match press conference. “To go out there and hit the first ball like that for six and continue the way he did was exceptional. He has been batting exceptionally well in the nets all the way through, pre-season and into the tournament. It was just another unbelievable MS Dhoni moment.”
However, Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan got off to a quick start, but Matheesha Pathirana did exceptionally well with the ball and helped Chennai win the match by 20 runs. Simons also said that CSK used Dhoni as a “batting template” to prepare well for bowling at the death as well. Placed third in the points table, CSK will next take on KL Rahul’s Lucknow on April 19 at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.
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“Dhoni is one of the most incredible cricketers I have come across. Just the way he goes about it, calmness at the wicket. We use him as a batting template when we are bowling at the death because he is so good at it. We can test out our theories against him, and we know that we are going to do well,” Simons concluded.
