MS Dhoni stated that qualifying for the IPL 2021 play-offs means a lot to Chennai Super Kings. Since they pledged to come back strong and delivered on that promise with a dominant performance in the existing season. CSK has put the horrors of IPL 2020 behind them. Having been the first side to be eliminated from the play-offs competition.
In the year 2021, CSK became the first team to qualify for the play-offs in the ongoing season. They winning nine of their first eleven games. MS Dhoni hit the winning runs in CSK’s 135-run chase against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Sharjah in March 44 of IPL 2021, securing a berth in the play-offs.
Faf du Plessis
CSK was on set to reach the mark thanks to another excellent opening stand between Ruturaj Gaikwad and Faf du Plessis. But a middle-order wobble saw them take the chase to the final over. Senior batters MS Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu, on the other hand, kept their cool and delivered another emphatic win for the three-time champions.
After a dismal campaign in the UAE in 2020, in which they missed out on a playoff berth for the first time in history, CSK decided not to make wholesale changes to the team for IPL 2021, contrary to predictions. With the acquisitions of Moeen Ali and Josh Hazelwood, CSK were able to regain their consistency in the new season.
“The bowlers tried to swing it upfront and got hit straight when they pitched it up too much, but then adjusted very well. I told the bowlers that they needed to exploit the conditions in today’s game. If the oddball stopped early on, it started coming onto the bat later,” he said.
MS Dhoni made a special mention of their devoted fans, adding it was nice to reward their faith in the squad following a poor IPL 2020 campaign.
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