MS Dhoni unveils how he and Harbhajan Singh: The CSK captain opened up on the dismissing KXIP’s Chris Gayle cheaply.
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During the 18th match of the ongoing 12th season of the Indian Premier League between Chennai Super Kings and Kings XI Punjab at Chennai, Chennai Super Kings defeated Kings XI Punjab by 22 runs.
Speaking during the post-match presentation ceremony, Chennai Super Kings captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni opened up on how dismissing Punjab opening batsman Chris Gayle cheaply was the key behind CSK defending 160 runs and also praised veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh.
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“We had to get the Chris Gayle out. If he gets going even 200 wouldn’t have been enough, Bhajji [Harbhajan Singh] got us the wickets otherwise 160 was not enough. It was not a placid wicket but it became better in the second half. All three spinners did really well for us. Bhajji was really needed, over the years only off-spinners have troubled Chris Gayle,” Dhoni was quoted as saying.
New Zealand fast bowler Scott Kuggeleijn, who made his CSK debut yesterday, conceded 27 runs in his first two overs. Bowling his remaining two overs in the death overs, Kuggeleijn counted for a couple of wickets for just 10 runs.
Being asked about the same, Dhoni sounded contended with the debutant’s performance. “Last couple of overs of Scott [Kuggeleijn] were brilliant. It was important for him to start well because he had to bowl in powerplay,” Dhoni said.
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A constant highlight of IPL matches played in Chennai is their loyal fan-following. With the crowd getting whole-heartedly behind the Super Kings, they add the extra pressure on the opposition. Agreeing to the same, the CSK skipper admitted that the crowd supporting them really helps in crunch situations.
“Crowd support us 100%, whenever chips are down they lift us. It really helps when the crowd is behind. They come not only for games but also for practice. The love and affection showed by them is amazing,” Dhoni added.
With four victories in five matches, Chennai are the current table-toppers in IPL 2019. Being asked about the same, Dhoni said, “It feels good to be on top of the points table but it is a constant process, only 5 to 6 matches have been played and we need to keep improving in all aspects.”
