Chennai Super Kings skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni admitted that the batters failed to take advantage of a solid start and were a few runs short in the opening match of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 against Gujarat Titans on Friday. Ruturaj Gaikwad set the platform for a 200-plus total with his 92-run knock but CSK sustained a mini-collapse and struggled to get going in the second half of the innings and were restricted to 178/7 in 20 overs.
Ruturaj scored 92 runs off 50 balls while the rest of the batters just managed 78 off 71. In the first 10 overs, CSK managed to hit 93 runs, while the run flow dipped in the last 10 as they scored 85 in the final 60 deliveries.
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“We were slightly short. Another 15-20 runs would have been good. We all know there would be a little bit of dew. Also, it was a 7.30 pm start. So the ball holds on a little early on. Also, we could have batted properly in the middle overs as opposed to trying to muscle the ball," Dhoni said during the post-match presentation.
However, Dhoni heaped praises on Gaikwad for his brilliant knock and said he has groomed himself to take the right calls under pressure.
‘Ruturaj Gaikwad was brilliant. He times the ball well and he’s a pleasure to watch. The way he picks his options is pleasing to watch. He has groomed himself very well, and makes the right decisions under pressure," he added.
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Talking about the bowler’s performance, Dhoni was impressed by debutant Raj Hangargekar who claimed three wickets and said he will get better with time.
“I think it’s important for the youngsters to step in. I think Raj (Hangargekar) has pace and he will get better with time. Think the bowlers will get better. A no-ball is something that’s in your control, so you need to work on that," he added.
The CSK skipper also talked about playing two left-arm spinners – Ravindra Jadeja and Mitchell Santner.
“I felt two left-armers will be a better option so I went ahead with them. Shivam was an option, but I felt comfortable with the bowlers overall," he concluded.
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