Sharjah: The stage was all set for world's best chaser Mahendra Singh Dhoni to do his magic tricks and help Chennai Super Kings beat Rajasthan Royal's. But the magician did not turn up, Dhoni in a crucial run-chase demoted himself to number seven and CSK failed to cross the line. After the match, he opened up about the decision.
"I haven't batted for a long time. Fourteen-day quarantine doesn't help," said Dhoni at the post-match presentation ceremony. Also, we wanted to try different things, give opportunities to Sam (Curran). We have the opportunity to try different things. If they don't work, you can always go back to your strengths," the CSK skipper said.
Dhoni hit three consecutive sixes in the last over but it was not enough as CSK fell 16 runs behind in a high scoring fixture at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
Dhoni said that CSK did not get a good start considering the size of the target. He also felt that his bowling unit could have done better to restrict the opposition.
"With 217 as the target, we needed a very good start which was not the case. Steve (Smith) and (Sanju) Samson batted very well. Need to give credit to their bowlers. Once you've seen the first innings, you know the length to bowl. Their spinners did well to bowl away from the batsman. Our spinners made the error of bowling too full. Had we restricted them to 200, it would've been a good game," he said.
Royals captain Steve Smith was all praise for Sanju Samson, who smashed 74 off just 32 balls. Jofra Archer later provided the apt finishing touch, smashing 27 off eight deliveries thanks to Lungi Ngidi bowling consecutive no-balls in the final over.
"Sanju Samson played an unbelievable knock. Felt like everything he was hitting went for six. I was just giving Sanju the strike, wasn't I? He was middling everything. I hope this sets him up for a big IPL," said Smith.
