NEW DELHI: Gujarat Titans Captain Hardik Pandya said on Tuesday that you had to be a “real devil” to hold a grudge against legendary Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who is likely to be competing in his final IPL season.
As Qualifier 1 between Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans draws near at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, Pandya also dismissed the misconception that Dhoni, hailed as one of India’s most accomplished captains , was a serious person.
“I will always be a fan of Mahendra Singh Dhoni and for so many fans and so many cricket lovers. You must be a real devil to hate Mahendra Singh Dhoni,” Pandya said in a video posted by Gujarat Titans on social media .
IPL 2023, Qualifier 1: Chennai Super Kings set for Gujarat Titans challenge
The turnaround Dhoni has made since last season has once again put him in the spotlight as CSK aim to win their fifth IPL title after finishing second to last in 2022.
While the captain conundrum took its toll last year, CSK have been in sublime form with Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ajinkya Rahane coming together to once again make the team look like one. title winning unit.
Pandya said he learned a lot of nuances of cricket from Dhoni, not by picking his brain but just by watching him in action.
“A lot of people think Mahi is serious and stuff. For me, I make jokes and I don’t see him as a Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
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GT vs CSK IPL 2023 Qualifier 1: Chennai take on Gujarat in Chepauk
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The shrewd tactician of MS Dhoni will draw deep into his reserves to counter Shubman Gill, India’s new ‘crown prince’ of cricket, as four-time champions Chennai Super Kings meet their match against current title holders Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 of the IPL in Chennai on Tuesday.
Gill, who almost single-handedly knocked out a star-studded Royal Challengers Bangalore with a century for dungeons, has eclipsed Virat Kohli and is sure to force one of India’s greatest captains back to the drawing board and making plans for him.
Gill is in the midst of a dream season and what Dhoni’s tactical ploy will be to stop the dashing ‘Mohali Marauder’ is there to be seen.
This season, the Gujarat Titans haven’t played Chepauk, who hasn’t performed singularly in CSK’s seven home games and has prompted head coach Stephen Fleming to worry about it. what to expect.
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What makes this battle even more interesting is the fact that GT is a team that seems closer to being a prototype of what CSK had been all those years ago in IPL.
A captain, who swears his understanding of leadership is cut from Dhoni’s ‘captain fabric’, and head coach Nehra, who, like his former teammate, doesn’t believe in too many changes, even if a few games turn around evil.
Thus, it becomes more interesting when two teams with a similar philosophy go against each other. Teams that don’t make long-term promises that are hard to keep but focus on the immediate process and know the player roles required for slots.
For Gujarat, tackling the slow running Chepauk will be a challenge and how they negotiate Deepak Chahar’s powerplay overs and Matheesha Pathirana’s slingers at the back will determine the outcome of the game.
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GT skipper Pandya and Ashish Nehra will find the contributions of Sri Lankan skipper Dasun Shanaka useful as he managed both Pathirana and spinner Maheesh Theekshana for the national team.
Although Shanaka can be used more as an all-rounder, GT, depending on the throw, can also try left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore, who is familiar with these conditions.
For CSK, a good start by the crack pair of Devon Conway and Ruturaj Gaikwad will be important. But at Chepauk, even Ajinkya Rahane could become a factor while Shivam Dube would like to add to his 33 sixes for the season.
With GT bowling led by Mohammed Shami and Rashid Khan (24 wickets each so far), things won’t be easy for the home side’s batters. How CSK’s opening duo handle the relentless Shami can prove vital and it would be important for the underperforming middle order to step up in critical play.
If a slow pitch is deployed for the game, spinners from both teams would have a huge role to play. While CSK have Ravindra Jadeja, Moeen Ali and Theekshana, the GT boasts of a line-up that includes Rashid and Noor Ahmad.
“Obviously I learned a lot from him, a lot of positive things, which I learned from him just by watching, not even a lot by talking,” said Pandya, who would aim to retain the IPL title on team won last year beating Rajasthan Royals.
The country’s top all-rounder also said that for him, MSD was like a brother he could relax with.
“To me, he’s just my dear friend, my dear brother, who I prank, who I relax.”
Gujarat Titans also posted a message calling Dhoni “Captain. Leader. Legend. @msdhoni is an emotion”.
(With PTI entries)