Kolkata Knight Riders mentor Gautam Gambhir is convinced that Chennai Super Kings have given MS Dhoni the freedom to make an instant impact by giving him the finisher's role in the Indian Premier League. Already in speculation about finishing up his iconic career in the IPL 2024, Dhoni has aced the finisher's role for the defending champions in the league stage of the T20 tournament.
Dhoni walked out to bat for the Chennai Super Kings in the final over against Mumbai Indians in the first El Clasico of the new season. The former CSK smashed three sixes of Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya in the final over. Dhoni's batting heroics proved to be the difference for CSK as the Yellow Brigade defeated MI by 20 runs in the Clasico. Dhoni also played an unbeaten knock of 28 off nine balls against KL Rahul's Lucknow Super Giants to earn plaudits.
The 42-year-old smashed the boundary to finish the innings for CSK against LSG in the reverse fixture. The former CSK skipper scored 5 off 2 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the MA Chidambaram Stadium last week. With Dhoni-starrer CSK hosting Sam Curran's Punjab Kings on matchday 49 of the IPL 2024, former KKR skipper Gambhir explained CSK's strategy of using Dhoni only as a finisher.
{{/usCountry}}The 42-year-old smashed the boundary to finish the innings for CSK against LSG in the reverse fixture. The former CSK skipper scored 5 off 2 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the MA Chidambaram Stadium last week. With Dhoni-starrer CSK hosting Sam Curran's Punjab Kings on matchday 49 of the IPL 2024, former KKR skipper Gambhir explained CSK's strategy of using Dhoni only as a finisher.
{{/usCountry}}‘Freedom has allowed Dhoni to have an impact’
"It is a strategy of CSK (Dhoni facing just 8-10 balls) and that has given Dhoni the freedom. Different teams have different strategies and CSK has done this for the past 2-3 years. The freedom has allowed Dhoni to have an impact. When you play 20-25 balls you have that responsibility to consolidate, but when it's just 8-10 balls you can go out there and express yourself with freedom," Gambhir told Sportskeeda.
'I feel insecurity is the biggest reason…'
Dhoni is three sixes away from completing 250 sixes in the IPL. The former CSK has yet to be dismissed in the IPL 2024. Unbeaten in seven innings, Dhoni has scored 96 runs for the Super Kings. The CSK icon achieved an incredible strike rate of 259.45 in nine games. Talking more about his former IPL rival, Gambhir also pointed out the leadership similarities between the former KKR and CSK skippers. "I feel insecurity is the biggest reason for a player's failure. It's not about ability. If you don't have the ability you won't reach the first-class, IPL, or international level in the first place. So it is important to have a secure dressing room. A secure dressing room is a happy dressing room and it eventually becomes a winning dressing room," Gambhir said.