Rachin Ravindra, left-hand batsman for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), said it was 'special' to be sharing the crease with a cricket veteran like MS Dhoni, as he guided the side to victory over the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the ongoing IPL 2025 on Sunday.
Both Rachin and Dhoni were on the field as CSK was just four runs away from their first win of the season. Despite facing two deliveries, Dhoni was unable to open his account. In the end, Rachin hit the winning six.
Rachin Ravindra had a superb knock of 65 runs off 45 balls, including four maximums and two boundaries. Despite the difficult circumstances of the contest, the Kiwi batter maintained a healthy strike rate of 144.44 and batted until the final ball of Chennai's innings.
During the post-match press conference, the New Zealand hitter was asked about his experience sharing the crease with Dhoni.
“It's difficult to fully take it in when you're in the moment because you're so focused on winning the game for the team. But it's hard to ignore the excitement—hearing the crowd cheer for Dhoni, the whistles, and the noise. It's incredible to share the crease with him for the first time.
He's a legend of the game, and the people love him here, so it's definitely special. I'm sure the crowd hoped I'd give him the chance to finish the game, but it's all about getting the job done. Dhoni has finished so many games for CSK, and I'm sure there will be plenty more to come,” Rachin said in the IPL post-match presser.
Rachin also expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to join an exclusive group of opening hitters who have represented the Super Kings in the IPL over the years.
"A few days ago, I guess, and Flem's [head coach Stephen Fleming] quite good at those comms. It's always an honour to open for CSK knowing the history of it. And you look back at the heroes like the [Michael] Husseys, the [Shane] Watsons, the [Brendon] McCullums, the [Faf] du Plessis, the Rutus [Ruturaj Gaikwad]. I feel like I'm missing a few names there... [Matthew] Haydens, the Conways. It's certainly an honor. They have been guys who've done so well. I'm definitely grateful to be in this role. We'll take a game by game, and we know it's a long tournament. So, we'll just see what happens," Ravindra stated.
CSK will next face RCB in Chennai on March 28.
