IPL 2023: MS Dhoni threatens to leave CSK Captaincy if bowlers keep Bowling wide and no-balls: Chennai Super Kings (CSK) registered their first win of the IPL 2023 by defeating KL Rahul’s Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at their home ground, MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai. CSK had a near-perfect outing, last night, against LSG as they managed a 12-run win to open their IPL 2023 account, however, MS Dhoni had a few issues to worry about.
Issuing a fresh warning, CSK captain MS Dhoni alarmed his bowlers to avoid bowling too many extra deliveries in the game. The CSK’s bowling unit surprisingly bowled three no-balls and as many as 13 wide deliveries in the match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) which certainly is a cause of concern.
Dhoni issued a stern warning that CSK will have to play under a new captain if bowlers continue to bowl extra deliveries in the match. During the post-match press conference, Dhoni said: “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 (smiles). It will be my second warning and then I’ll be off,” Dhoni added.
Interestingly Dhoni was pleased with how the Chepauk pitch played out against LSG. The surface was a belter to produce an epic contest of bat and ball. It apparently went high-scoring with CSK batters smacking the LSG bowlers all around the park.
“Terrific high-scoring game. All of us were thinking about how the wicket would be. It was the perfect first game that could happen. I thought it would be much slower. But it was a wicket where you could score runs. I was quite surprised by the wicket. But we’ll have to see if we can produce a wicket like this game after game.”
CSK defeat LSG by 12 Runs
Talking about the CSK vs LSG match, which went in the home team’s favour, opener Ruturaj Gaikwad once again rose to the occasion as he slammed his second consecutive half-century (51 off 31) in the IPL 2023. Gaikwad was rightly complemented by his opening partner, Devon Conway, who scored 47 runs off 29 deliveries.
The CSK openers had laid a solid foundation for a pretty high total in the Chepauk surface. The following batters had the job to come and keep pressing the opposition. Significant contributions were made by the batters – Shivam Dube (27 off 16), Moeen Ali (19 off 13), Ambati Rayudu (27 off 14) and MS Dhoni (12 off 3). At the end of the 20 overs, CSK had 217 runs in their bank.
In pursuit of a high total, LSG went off to a flyer. They got a brisk start with Kyle Mayers (53 off 22) once again showing his abilities, however, soon after his dismissal, things looked pale for LSG.
Although LSG remained in the game till the last over, their chances of winning the contest dropped drastically. Wicketkeeper Nicholas Pooran gave some rays of hope, but it was just not meant to be his day. Pooran scored 32 off 18 deliveries.
At the end of 20 overs, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) finished with 205, 12 runs shy of the set total, and lost the fixture.
For more details head to IPL’s official website.