Chennai Super Kings, led by the experienced MS Dhoni, emerged victorious against Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2023, securing a spot in the final on May 28. This remarkable achievement marks their 10th appearance in the prestigious tournament’s summit clash, showcasing their remarkable consistency over the past 14 years. Dhoni’s astute leadership and strategic acumen have played a significant role in CSK’s enduring success. Reflecting on Dhoni’s captaincy, former South African cricketer AB de Villiers emphasized that the CSK captain possesses an intimidating presence on the field. De Villiers further highlighted Dhoni’s meticulous attention to detail, which contributes to his remarkable success in the fast-paced T20 format.
“I feel there is an intimidating factor. Whether it’s the ground or it’s the MSD factor, opposition teams arrive thinking they have to play extraordinary cricket to beat them. But when you look at the scoreboard, you tend to lose by small margins. It’s 10 or 15 runs, being no-ball free, it’s small things that turn a game upside down. MSD and his troops tend to get it right, when they play at home, when they play in big Finals, you’ll see what they come up with,”
AB de Villiers said.
Dhoni provides clarity on his retirement rumour
Immediately following the 15-run victory against Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1, MS Dhoni made it clear that he is not giving retirement much thought at the moment. He intends to evaluate his fitness over the next eight to nine months before making a decision.
“I don’t know, I have 8-9 months to decide. The small auction will be around December so why take that headache now? I have ample time to decide. I’ll always be there for CSK, whether it’s in playing form or sitting somewhere outside, I don’t really know. Frankly, it takes a heavy toll, I have been out of home from January, and have been practising since March, it takes a lot, so we will see, I have ample time to decide,”
Dhoni said in the post-match presentation.
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