MS Dhoni Might Have Felt That 'I Couldn't Fulfil my Responsibility': CSK CEO on Skipper's Golden Duck in IPL 2023 Final

Chennai Super Kings CEO Kasi Viswanathan feels that skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni felt bad when he got out for a golden duck in the final of Indian Premier League 2023. The Yellow Army were in a tricky situation when Dhoni came out to bat in the chase with 21 runs required off the last 14 balls and it was former Chennai Super Kings bowler Mohit Sharma who dismissed him on the very first ball.

The match shifted in Gujarat Titans’ way after Dhoni’s dismissal but in the end, Ravindra Jadeja stood tall and hit the winning runs for Chennai to help them clinch their fifth IPL title.

Dhoni played the whole season with a knee injury but he managed himself and the team well. He demoted himself to lower down the order and assigned himself as the finisher for the last couple of overs.

However, Viswanathan said that Dhoni probably felt bad about not finishing the game by himself in the final.

“When 21 were required off 14 balls, when Rayudu got us to that position, I think MS Dhoni might have felt bad when he was dismissed on the first ball he faced. He would have finished the match. Given his skillset, he would have finished the game in style. But when he was dismissed, probably he might have felt that ‘I couldn’t fulfil my responsibility.’ He might have felt ‘What if we lose from here having come so close’. We all knew Jadeja was there, but still,” Kasi Viswanathan was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.

However, Jadeja held his nerves when 10 runs were required from the last two balls as he first smashed a six down the ground to make it four runs in 1 ball. Mohit Sharma missed the mark on the final ball as Jadeja guided it to fine leg to seal the deal.

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The CSK CEO also shared his feelings on Jadeja’s match-winning knock.

“When 10 were needed off the final two balls and Jadeja hit the six, which was very difficult to hit, we had faith. Because defending the winning runs off the final ball is definitely tough be it any bowler. But Jadeja as usual capitalised and it was a dream come true for CSK. That is one of the reasons why Dhoni also showed his emotions,” he added.