The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper MS Dhoni showed glimpse of 'Vintage Dhoni' as he finished the game against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) with a maximum off Siddharth Kaul and confirmed CSK’s playoffs berth.
While the wicket-keeper batter was out of form with the bat of late, with this performance at Sharjah, the India batting legend Sunil Gavaskar and former England captain Kevin Pietersen believed that Dhoni's return to form will be a big worry for other teams.
“He (Dhoni) does it so often. He takes it into the last over. When the supporters are biting the nail - they also know he is going to do it. But that anxiety, that you feel. He has done it so many times in his career,” Gavaskar told Star Sports after the match.
Pietersen also had a similar opinion as he believed Dhoni’s performance against SRH will surely strike fear amongst the oppositions.
IPL 2021: Gambhir backs Ashwin in recent 'Spirit of Cricket' controversy; Irfan, Agarkar join him
“Dhoni has done it for so many years, he keeps doing it and doing it and doing it. What he has done now, should strike fear into the opposition.
He has not been in the form for two seasons, so if he starts doing that now here, then, goodness, they got one hand on the trophy, they really do. They are serious out, on these conditions that are really good,” Pietersen said.
The Englishman then cited that CSK’s Hazlewood, Jadeja as well as openers Gaikwad and du Plessis have been in good form and if the skipper Dhoni also starts finishing games, the three-time champions Chennai Super Kings will be one of the hardest sides to beat in IPL 2021.
“They got the Hazlewood effect, and the Jadeja effect, and the openers have been really good. So, if Dhoni starts coming off now, finishes games off, then others team have a problem. Scary proposition,” right-handed Kevin Pietersen signed off.
CSK will be back in action as the MS Dhoni and Co. will be locking horns with Sanju Samson’s Rajasthan Royals (RR) on Saturday (2 October) at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
(With Star Sports Inputs)
