Chennai Super Kings 172 for 7 (Gaikwad 60, Conway 40, Shami 2-28) beat Gujarat Titans (Gill 42, Jadeja 2-18) by 15 runs
He met Gujarat Titans on a pitch that he likes - the sort that used to greet worldwide groups throughout his reign as India captain - and turned their consolation zone into something however. A group that likes batting second misplaced for less than the fourth time in 18 chases.
Titans aren't carried out, after all. They have been the dominant group within the league stage, which earned them a second shot at a spot within the remaining. They'll must take advantage of that now towards both Mumbai Indians or Lucknow Super Giants in Ahmedabad.
There are instances when it appears like Dhoni's gamers turn into extensions of his will and there may be one who is aware of that feeling greater than most. To be honest, that implication has harm Jadeja as a lot because it has helped him.
The left-arm spinner was at all times going to be essential in situations the place the brand new ball was stopping on the pitch and the outdated one was conserving low. By the time he received it in his fingers, it started to take considerable quantities of flip as nicely.
This was Jadeja's eighth wicket of a left-hander, doubling his earlier greatest in an IPL season.
Deepak Chahar had Shubman Gill caught on the long-leg boundary for 42•Getty Images
There was at all times a query about him within the press conferences. Why is he within the aspect? Why did not they play Mitchell Santner? What is the purpose of a spinner who could not take wickets in Chennai? Well that is it.
Theekshana removed Hardik Pandya. At the time, it felt just like the Titans captain was making ready to take the bowler on. It was his second huge transfer, after popping out at No. 3 and hitting his first ball for 4. The logic was if he may defang certainly one of CSK's go-to males in situations that have been excellent for him that'll ship a shockwave proper by means of the group. It was a calculated threat. It did not come off. The battle lasted three balls.
Towards the tip of the sport, with Dhoni working to push up the required charge, he turned to Theekshana once more and he went straight by means of Rahul Tewatia. It was a part of a interval through which Titans misplaced 4 wickets for 26 runs in 24 balls.
Recovering from 98 for six was not doable, even with heroics from Rashid Khan.
At the tip of CSK's powerplay, Devon Conway was 14 off 11 with a management share of 64. Those stats mix to recommend he was attempting loads of issues and only a few of them have been coming off. Coming down the monitor. Looking for these scoops. Anything. Everything. But nothing labored. He was caught and for so long as he was so have been the Super Kings. They hit no boundaries for 29 balls between the tenth and the fifteenth overs. Just a little bit after that, Conway's management share dipped to 50. He was enjoying a false shot as soon as each two balls.
Meanwhile, Shubman Gill had unlocked batting. Even right here, he performed a shot that hardly made sense. It was a flick, however he hit it in entrance of brief midwicket, which meant he needed to restrict the quantity of wrist he put into it. He needed to restrict the one factor that provides the shot its energy and it nonetheless went screaming away to the boundary.
Dhoni knew he couldn't let Gill bat until the tip. So he known as on Matheesha Pathirana a little bit sooner than he normally does. And the younger slinga received a little bit of stage fright. His first over in his first IPL playoff match contained 10 balls, together with 4 wides.
Gill survived so Dhoni went to plan B. If he could not be prised out, perhaps he may very well be tempted. Deepak Chahar got here on. And with the primary ball of the 14th over - brief, gradual and so rattling juicy - he had Titans' greatest hope caught on the long-leg boundary. Gill walked away with a management share within the 90s. Conway walked away with the win.
MS Dhoni has a chat with Chris Gaffaney about Matheesha Pathirana's availability to bowl•BCCI
With the set batter gone, Dhoni reigned supreme. He had three overs of Pathirana left to fight Titans' finishers. And he would use all of them even when it meant inviting an over-rate penalty. That's 16, 18 and 20. Only Pathirana had left the sector for some time. So he could not bowl the sixteenth till he had been on the pitch for a similar time he had been off. So Dhoni went to the umpires and simply had a little bit chat, seemingly letting the clock tick on down till he may unleash his loss of life bowler.
This is what Dhoni does. He defends totals. It's a part of his mystique. Hardik truly mentioned it greatest: "That's the beauty about him. With his mind and the kind of way he uses his bowlers, he will make sure you feel like he is adding 10 runs extra to the score."
Alagappan Muthu is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo
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