A fan criticized Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni after the team’s loss to the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Saturday. The fan specifically pointed to Dhoni’s choice to entrust the penultimate over to Khaleel Ahmed, which backfired when newcomer Romario Shepherd hit Ahmed for 33 runs. This explosive performance helped RCB reach an impressive total of 213/5, with Shepherd hitting four sixes and two fours in that over before completing a rapid half-century in just 14 balls.
The fan expressed disappointment that Dhoni opted not to let Sam Curran bowl that over, a decision that ultimately cost CSK the match, as they lost by a narrow margin of three runs.
One tweet read:
“NO ONE WILL DISCUSS MS DHONI’S CAPTAINCY BLUNDER OF NOT GIVING THE 19TH OVER TO SAM CURRAN!! I REPEAT, NO ONE!!”
— (@KKRWeRule)
Another user commented on Dhoni’s poor batting performance, stating:
“While Dhoni didn’t perform well tonight, I don’t think Dube would have made a significant impact either, given his own struggles this season. Khaleel has typically bowled the 19th over, but in hindsight, a different approach could have been taken.”
— Saptarshi Das (@Saptarshi713)
In the final over, CSK needed 15 runs to secure a victory, with Jadeja and Dhoni at the crease. Yash Dayal, the bowler, managed to give away just two runs and took Dhoni’s wicket on the first three balls.
After Dhoni was out, Shivam Dube entered and hit his first ball for a six, which was also a no-ball. This brought the equation down to six runs needed off three balls. However, Dayal kept his composure, allowing only four runs in the final three deliveries of the 20th over.
Yash Dayal finished with one wicket in his four-over spell, conceding 41 runs at an economy rate of 10.20. In the post-match presentation, RCB’s batting coach Dinesh Karthik praised Dayal’s work ethic, saying, “He is among the best in India. The younger generation of cricketers is hard-working, and Yash is someone who is very diligent. He comes to meetings prepared and takes notes on everything he wants to accomplish. While his execution may vary, one thing you can always count on from him is effort.”
*(With ANI Inputs)*
