MS Dhoni's warning for CSK bowlersStop bowling no-balls and wides or play under new captain

By Saurabh KumarChennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni issued a stern warning to his pacers after a tense 12-run victory against Lucknow Super Giants at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium on Monday. Dhoni warned the CSK pacers to stop bowling no-balls and wides or play under a new captain.

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Notably, the pace duo of Deepak Chahar (0/55) and Tushar Deshpande (2/45), who came in for Ambati Rayudu as Impact Player, bowled three wides and two no-balls to disappoint Dhoni. Poor bowling by Chahar, Deshpande and Ben Stokes (1-0-18-0) didn’t help CSK’s cause as they leaked runs in the powerplay as LSG batters posted a strong riposte in pursuit of 218.

However, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Devon Conway, and Moeen Ali guided Chennai Super Kings to a 12-run victory over Lucknow Super Giants at their fortress, the M A Chidambaram stadium, in their first home match of the ongoing IPL on Monday. Gaikwad hit his second successive fifty and stitched a 110-run opening stand with Conway (47 off 29) as CSK posted a commanding 217 for 7 after being sent into bat.

“It was a terrific game, a high-scoring game. All of us were thinking how the wicket will be. We had that doubt. It was a high-scoring game. Overall I think it was a perfect first game that happened and it was a full house for the first game in 5 or 6 years since we’ve been here. I thought it would be much slower,” Dhoni said at the post-match presentation ceremony.

Following his 92 in the first game, Gaikwad smashed 57 off 31 with three fours and four sixes. Conway, who hit five boundaries and two over-the-fence hits, provided solid support. Then Moeen Ali came back with a brilliant spell of 4 for 26 from his four overs to help CSK restrict LSG to 205 for seven and secure a thrilling 12-run win at the homecoming.

Dhoni pointed out that his side’s pacers need to improve and bowl according to the conditions while adding that CSK bowled too many extra deliveries in their first home game since 2019.

“It was a wicket where you could score runs but overall it got a bit slower. We’ll have to see how it plays over the next six games at home but hopefully we can score here. It’s the fast bowling that will need to improve slightly and bowl according to the conditions. Even if it’s on the flatter side, force batters to hit over the fielders. They’ll have to bowl no no balls and less wides. We are bowling too many extra deliveries and need to cut them out otherwise they’ll be playing under a new captain,” Dhoni added.