IPL 2023 | Cut down extras, else play under new captain, Dhoni warns bowlers
The Hindu
We are bowling too many extra deliveries and need to cut them, says CSK captain Dhoni
Chennai Super Kings skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Monday warned his bowlers not to bowl no-balls and too many wides in their upcoming IPL matches, saying if they do so they will have to play under a new captain.
CSK beat Lunckow Super Giants by 12 runs at home but Dhoni was not amused with the wayward bowling as his side bowled three no balls and 13 wides, though LSG were in the end restricted to 205 for 7 while chasing 218.
"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 said bluntly at the post-match presentation.
Dhoni said he was surprised by the Chepauk pitch which produced a lot of runs on Monday.
"It was a terrific game, 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 will be much slower. 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." Dhoni said his side's fast bowling department will also need slight improvement and bowl according to the conditions.
"Even if it's on the flatter side, force batters to hit over the fielders." Lucknow Super Giants captain KL Rahul said his team did not have the ideal start after winning the toss and inviting CSK in to bat.