IPL 2023: CSK vs PBKS | Bowlers need to be more aware; 10 more runs could have made a difference, says Dhoni
The Hindu
Indian Premier League 2023: Chennai Super Kings vs Punjab Kings in Chennai | post-match conference of M.S. Dhoni and Shikhar Dhawan
Chennai Super Kings skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni was left ruing the four-wicket defeat to Punjab Kings in their own den, saying the bowlers need to be more aware of the situation and also indicated that the execution was probably "bad".
CSK had a good chance of victory after posting 200 for four at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, thanks chiefly to another Devon Conway special of unbeaten 92, but the Shikhar Dhawan-led side hit the winning runs off the last ball to silence the yellow brigade on Sunday.
“We lost it in a couple of overs in the middle. You need to be aware what you need to bowl and be clear because the batters will be going for it (big hits). (Matheesha) Pathirana bowled well but other than that, we need to see if the plans were wrong or the execution was bad,” said Dhoni.
Barring openers Conway and Ruturaj Gaikwad (37), none of the other batters could make an impact and Dhoni felt his team could have scored another 10 runs.
“We should be doing better with the bat. The pitch had turn, there was some turn when it hit the seam. The slower balls gripped. I think, 200 (runs) was par. Also towards the end of our innings, could we have got 10 more?” he questioned.
Winning team skipper Shikhar Dhawan said it was a special feeling defeating CSK in Chennai and praised wicket-keeper Jitesh Sharma (21 off 10 balls) and Liam Livingstone (40 off 24) coming to the party.
“It feels very, very special beating Chennai in Chennai. I am very happy with the way we played. It shows great character of our side to bounce back from that loss, and leaving it behind.
He has worn India’s blues, albeit in an Under-19 World Cup, with K.L. Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Harshal Patel and Jaydev Unadkat as his teammates. He has proudly adorned the Lion’s Crest — the famed Mumbai cricket logo — in all three formats. He has played with Yuvraj Singh, against Virat Kohli and Rahul Dravid and has the likes of Rahul and Joe Root in his illustrious list of dismissals. He is also a software developer for an IT giant, based in California. Virtually every middle-class Indian over the last three decades at some stage dreams of being either a cricketer or an IT professional. Saurabh Netravalkar has been combining two dreams, even after relocating to USA to pursue academics at the prestigious Cornell University in 2015.