MS Dhoni is already a legend among Indian captains, but he kept up his great work in the IPL 2023. He led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to their 10th final in 14 seasons of the T20 league by beating table-toppers and defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) by 15 runs in Qualifier 1 on Tuesday. It was, however, Dhoni and CSK’s last game of the season at their beloved MA Chidambaram Stadium, or Chepauk, and the crowd was left wondering if they would see their favorite captain in “yellow” again next season.
At the post-game show, commentator Harsha Bhogle asked Dhoni the “big” question, and Dhoni left the door open for a return to CSK next season. “I don’t know; I have 8 to 9 months to think about it. I have ample time to decide. The sale will be in December. I’ll keep coming to CSK.” I haven’t been home since January and have been practicing since March, so we’ll see,” Dhoni said after Monday night’s win over GT.
The captain of CSK said that this was not “just another” final because there are now 10 teams instead of 8. CSK came in ninth place in the IPL 2022, so for the four-time winners to make the final again is a big change.
“It’s not eight teams anymore. With ten teams, it’s even harder. Two months of hard work Our guys showed a lot of heart. Everyone has made a difference. Yes, the middle order hasn’t had many chances, but they’ve helped get us to the final,” Dhoni said.
At the Chepauk, Hardik Pandya won the toss for GT and told CSK to bat first. After Chennai batted first, Ruturaj Gaikwad got 50 runs and Devon Conway got 40 runs, which helped them get to 172 for 7. Then, Dhoni did a great job of leading his team to beat Gujarat by 157 runs and get their first IPL win over them.
“You look at the wicket and the weather, and you keep making changes to the field. I can be a bad captain because I always change the game. It can be frustrating, but I trust my gut. Dhoni said, “That’s why I keep telling the fielders to watch me.”
