CHENNAI: As far as welcome cheers go, Chepauk couldn’t have done any better for MS Dhoni’s arrival. It was in complete contrast to the one given by the Chennai Super Kings top order. Ambati Rayudu, Shane Watson and Kedar Jadhav were all dismissed trying to play shots. As far as starts go, Chennai wouldn’t have expected anything worse when Dhoni walks in at 27/3.
An over later, with only Suresh Raina — a pale shadow of yesteryears — for company, Dhoni quietly plays out Jofra Archer to finish the powerplay over with the scorecard reading 29/3. When Dhoni plays a defensive shot that had the ball roll back to the stumps and the bails stay on, the MA Chidambaram Stadium breathes a sigh of relief. The whistles have been kept down by a disciplined Rajasthan Royals attack.
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You don’t need to say who have their noses in front as Shreyas Gopal and K Gowtham slip in two quiet overs as Chennai appear to go nowhere. Impatience is growing in the stands. The DJ tries to keep the mood upbeat, but doesn’t receive any support. Raina gets a boundary here and there and Chennai are placed at 55/3 at the end of 10 overs.
Raina hits one of his trademark slogs, and the whistles are back. Momentum is threatening to shift. Dhoni has faced 16 deliveries, but hasn’t attempted a single boundary. He gets one off the 17th ball and another an over later. Then he sees Raina depart.
Dwayne Bravo comes in and gets two boundaries in no time. But Dhoni isn’t changing gears. You begin to wonder what is he waiting for. Surely, he can’t be playing poker. Had he got his math wrong? Archer has two more overs to bowl. Then there is Unadkat too, one of the quality death-over bowlers in the IPL. Dhoni gets another boundary in the 17th over and Chennai have only 115/4 on board with three overs left.
By now, dew engulfs Chepauk. Archer later says it’s the worst conditions he has ever bowled in as umpires replace the ball. Dhawal Kulkarni bowls a waist-high full toss. Dhoni gets his first six off the 37th ball as Bravo hits two more. Chennai collect 24 runs.
Pacers are struggling to get a grip, but Archer gives away only eight and gets the prized wicket of Bravo. Unadkat runs in for the 20th over with Chennai at 147/5. A mistimed slog gets Dhoni a single as Ravindra Jadeja tees off with a six and a single.
Dhoni is now gambling. He knows with the dew on, yorkers are out of the way. ‘What else? Slower ball? Sure, let me wait. I have waited so long’ he seems to think. Unadkat obliges, Dhoni deposits it over square-leg. Unadkat doesn’t learn his lesson. A length ball is deposited over Ajinkya Rahane at long-off. Unadkat tries to surprise him with a slower bouncer, but it goes wide.
Pressure. So many have been in this place before, in the last over, with Dhoni at the other end. You sense what is arriving, it has to go all the way, Dhoni gets another length ball, this one goes over long on.
Chepauk is on its feet and even before they could turn their heads to the middle, Dhoni is off to the dressing room in a flash, after pulling off a heist. Chennai had scored 60 off the last three overs.