As the IPL 2024 gears up for the highly anticipated clash between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), former India opener and mentor of KKR, Gautam Gambhir, reminisced about his intense rivalry with MS Dhoni, particularly during his tenure as CSK's captain.
"I wanted to win. I am very clear in my mind. Friends, mutual respect, everything will remain. But when you are in the middle, I am captaining KKR and he is captaining CSK. If you ask him, he will probably give you the same answer. It's about winning. Obviously, MS is the most successful captain India will ever have. I don't think anyone can reach that level - winning 3 ICC trophies," Gambhir told Star Sports.
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The 2011 World Cup winner praised MS Dhoni's ability to never give up, saying that opposition teams were wary of the wicketkeeper-batter's finishing skills even when CSK needed a mere 20-odd runs in the last over. "But yes, in the IPL, I enjoyed every bit of it because I knew MS had a sharp tactical mind," Gambhir said. "He's very good tactically. He knew how to control the spinners, how to set the fields against them, and he would never give up. He batted at No. 6 or 7, and we knew that as long as he was there, he could finish off the game.
"Even if they needed 20 runs in an over, and MS was in the middle, he could finish it off. At the same time, I knew I had the bowling attack to challenge anyone in the Super Kings. I knew that tactically I had to be better than him in every aspect because he's not overly aggressive on the field, but I knew he wouldn't give up. Chennai is the kind of team against whom you know you're not winning until the last ball is bowled," Gambhir said.
Gambhir revived KKR's fortunes in the IPL, leading the Shah Rukh Khan-owned franchise to two title triumphs. Their first win came in Chennai when they beat CSK in the final, successfully chasing 192 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. Gambhir's tactical acumen played a key role in that victory, as KKR stopped CSK from achieving a hat-trick of IPL titles.
Gambhir arrived in Chennai last week and has been strategizing to counter the Super Kings. During KKR's training sessions at Chepauk, Gambhir was seen having intense discussions with head coach Chandrakant Pandit. While Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shreyas Iyer will lead CSK and KKR respectively on Monday, fans are eager to see the reunion of MS Dhoni and Gautam Gambhir and the tactical battle between the two former captains. KKR will be looking to extend their unbeaten run in IPL 2024. A win against the Super Kings on Monday will guarantee their return to the top of the points table.
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