New Delhi [India], May 8 : Former India cricketer and coach Sanjay Bangar classified skipper MS Dhoni "key" to Chennai Super Kings' last-over finishes, which steered them past the finishing line in their last two stories of success, following their recent triumph over the defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders.
During Chennai's pursuit of the 180-run target at Eden, Dhoni, turned back the clock pulled the strings from one end and dictated the flow of the game. When Chennai was dangling at 127/6, Dhoni used his experience to pull the visitors out of turmoil. He rotated the strike and punished the bowlers for their lacklustre lengths to keep the scoreboard pressure off CSK's shoulders.
Shivam Dube stayed at the other end and took the brunt of providing the firepower on his shoulders. Dube fell in the penultimate over, but Dhoni smoked the ball into the stands on the first ball of the last over, to put the final nail in the coffin.
"He definitely got it right and was well supported by Shivam Dube from the other end. With not much batting left after the pair of Dube and Dhoni, they had to play conservatively. Shivam took the risks, while MS rotated the strike smartly and waited for the bowlers to make mistakes," Bangar said on JioHotstar.
This wasn't the first instance of the Dhoni-Dube duo staging a comeback story for Chennai in the current season. When Chennai trounced Lucknow Super Giants, Dhoni was the mastermind, and Dube applied his brute force to gun down the 167-run target.
With just three wins out of 12 fixtures, Chennai are out of the race for the playoffs. Bangar was quick to point out how Chennai's icon has stuck to his template despite the turbulent season the Super Kings have endured.
"That's been his template, and he's stuck to it despite everything he's gone through this season. CSK needed him again, just like in that win against LSG. You simply can't count him out. In two of CSK's three recent wins, he's been the key in those last-over finishes," he added.
Chennai stayed at the bottom of the table despite walking away with two points. They would look to end their shambolic season on a high in their remaining two fixtures.
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