With an aim to enter their 10th final, MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will meet defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) in Qualifier 1 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 on Tuesday. The most consistent side in the history of IPL playoffs, former champions Chennai Super Kings are eyeing a record-equalling fifth title in the 16th season of the T20 tournament. Under Dhoni's leadership, the Yellow Brigade will host reigning champions GT led by all-rounder Hardik Pandya at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
This will be Gujarat's first meeting with Dhoni's CSK at Chepauk in the celebrated tournament. Pandya, who shares a good camaraderie with Dhoni, issued an interesting statement about the charismatic leader of the Yellow Brigade. Known for his calm demeanour, Dhoni is often regarded as one of the greatest captains in the history of the game. In a video posted by Gujarat Titans on social media ahead of CSK's match against GT, Pandya expressed his fondness for the two-time World Cup-winning captain.
"I'll always be a Mahendra Singh Dhoni fan and for so many fans out there and so many cricket lovers. You need to be a proper devil to hate Mahendra Singh Dhoni. A lot of people think Mahi is serious and all that. For me, I crack jokes and I don't see him as a Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Obviously, I've learnt a lot of things from him, a lot of positive things, which I've learnt from him just while watching, not even much talking," Pandya said.
{{/usCountry}}"I'll always be a Mahendra Singh Dhoni fan and for so many fans out there and so many cricket lovers. You need to be a proper devil to hate Mahendra Singh Dhoni. A lot of people think Mahi is serious and all that. For me, I crack jokes and I don't see him as a Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Obviously, I've learnt a lot of things from him, a lot of positive things, which I've learnt from him just while watching, not even much talking," Pandya said.
{{/usCountry}}"For me, he's just my dear friend, dear brother, who I do pranks, who I chill," added Pandya, who guided GT to the IPL glory in their first-ever IPL season last year. Leading the Ahmedabad-based franchise in their title-defending season in 2023, Pandya guided GT to the business end of the elite tournament. Pandya and Co. secured the top spot in the IPL 2023 standings for the second-straight season. Gujarat Titans recorded 10 wins in 14 games this season. All-rounder Pandya scored 289 runs for GT in the league stage of the IPL 2023.