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With a batting template in tune with the demands of T20 cricket, Chennai Super Kings showed their might at home to bury Gujarat Titans by 63 runs for their second successive win.
For a major part of the last decade, Chennai Super Kings’ template at home was to strangle opponents with their spinners. On the slow Chepauk pitches, where they enjoy a win percentage of over 70, this had been their success model. But with batting depth that extends all the way to No.9, CSK’s Plan A is to out-bat the opposition with sheer power.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad credited MS Dhoni for working on Shivam Dube’s game in the build-up to the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Repaying the faith on Tuesday, Dube played a rollicking knock to make sure the Super Kings posted a gigantic target for the 2022 winners, Gujarat Titans (GT) in match No.7 of the tournament.
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In the rematch of last year’s final, Dube extended Dhoni’s stay at the dugout as Chennai reached 206-6 in the 20-over contest.
With CSK trying out young gun Sameer Rizvi at the No.6 position, Dhoni was unused as a batter in the recently concluded encounter. Though fans didn’t get to see Dhoni make his trademark walk with the bat at the Chepauk, the CSK icon was up on his feet when Dube completed his quick-fire half-century.
It was raining sixes, and Dhoni had the best seat in the house. Dube tormented the GT bowlers at the famous MA Chidambaram Stadium. Rallying behind Dube from the stands, Dhoni was seen applauding the CSK southpaw for his blazing knock.
And with a placid pitch rolled out, Chennai took the field with just Ravindra Jadeja as a frontline spinner. Though he ended up bowling just two overs while defending a target of 207, their seam attack – which included Deepak Chahar, Tushar Deshpande, Mustafizur Rahman, Matheesha Pathirana and Daryl Mitchell – chipped in with wickets.
MS Dhoni reacts after Shivam Dube gets to his half-century against GT
While New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra set the tone with his 46-run knock, Dube took over and notched up the only fifty of the contest. Dube smoked five sixes and creamed two boundaries in his entertaining knock against the Gujarat Titans. Gaikwad (46), Ravindra (46) and Dube (51 off 23 balls) powered CSK to the match-winning total. Dube batted at a strike rate of 221.74 against the former IPL champions.
With Rashid and Sai Kishore in their ranks, Gujarat had an opportunity to make a comeback in the middle overs. Even as Ajinkya Rahane struggled to get going, Gaikwad ensured the run rate never dipped. But still Gujarat were beginning to find some control, until Rahane fell to Sai Kishore and Shivam Dube came in at No.4. It meant that with two of their spinners still having more than half of their quotas remaining, Gujarat had to alter their plans, given Dube’s exceptional record against spinners.
‘This franchise is different’: Dube
In reply, Shubman Gill’s GT mustered 143-8 to lose the match by 63 runs. Dube-starrer CSK have climbed to the top spot after thrashing GT at home. “This franchise is different from all others. This franchise is giving me freedom and I also want to win some matches for them. I worked in that way as well – it is helping me, I know they are going to bowl short balls and I’m ready for that. They want me to go on a higher strike rate and I want to do that,” Dube said.
Dhoni has worked personally on Dube’s game
Dhoni-starrer CSK have won their first two matches of the season. CSK will next meet Rishabh Pant’s Delhi Capitals in match No.13 of the IPL 2024 at Visakhapatnam on Sunday. “When he (Dube) came here the management worked with him personally, Mahi bhai worked with him personally. He knows what role he is playing and which bowler to take on. A big plus for us,” CSK skipper Gaikwad said after the match.
