Chennai Super Kings’ captain MS Dhoni, often considered one of the greatest captains of his generation, has been a constant source of support for his teammates. After securing a spot in the final of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 by defeating defending champions Gujarat Titans in the Qualifier 1, Dhoni referred to himself as an ‘annoying captain’ during the post-match presentation ceremony.
In a candid conversation with Harsha Bhogle, Dhoni revealed his tendency to frequently change field placements, which can be frustrating for fielders. However, he also expressed his desire for the players to keep an eye on him and assured them that he would not react if they drop a catch.
Dhoni explained, “You see the wicket and according to that, you keep adjusting the field. I can be a very annoying captain, I keep shifting fielders 2-3 feet. Only request I ask from the fielders is, keep an eye on me. If there’s a dropped catch, there will be no reaction (from me), just keep an eye on me.”
Despite experts not considering Chennai Super Kings’ total of 172 runs as a “match-winning total,” the team’s bowlers stepped up and delivered. Deepak Chahar, Ravindra Jadeja, Maheesh Theekshana, and Matheesha Pathirana all took two wickets each. Chahar, who had missed several matches due to injury, performed exceptionally well, conceding 29 runs and claiming two wickets. Jadeja was also outstanding, giving away only 18 runs in his four overs while taking two wickets. Theekshana and Pathirana contributed with figures of 2/28 and 2/37, respectively. As a result, Gujarat Titans were bowled out for 157 runs.
Chennai Super Kings will now face off against another team in the final, which will take place in Ahmedabad on May 28.
