'We spoke to Dhoni. He said it's unacceptable...': Ian Bishop, Gavaskar discuss CSK bowlers' no-ball issue in IPL 2023
Ian Bishop and Sunil Gavaskar discussed MS Dhoni's reaction to CSK bowlers' no-ball issues in IPL 2023.
With Deepak Chahar not in his best rhythm, Ben Stokes not fully fit to bowl four overs, and the inexperience of Tushar Deshpande and Rajvardhan Hangargekar at this level, Chennai Super Kings' pace attack looks pale. It was evident in the way they have gone about in their first two matches in IPL 2023. They failed to defend 178 in the IPL 2023 opener against Gujarat Titans and if it wasn't for spinners Moeen Ali and Mitchell Santner then CSK would have ended up on the wrong side even after muscling 217 in their second match against the Lucknow Super Giants.
In the 11 overs that the CSK pacers bowled against LSG in front of their home crowd at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Monday, they conceded 142 runs for just two wickets. One might argue that there was very little for the seamers on the belter of a Chepauk track but the CSK pacers were way off target. But what would give MS Dhoni and CSK management sleepless nights is the number of extras conceded by them.
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CSK pacers have bowled 16 wides (four vs GT and 12 vs LSG) and five no-balls (two vs GT and three vs LSG) in just two matches. Dhoni, who generally doesn't give away much, was visibly upset with the indiscipline of his medium pacers on Monday. The legendary cricketer, albeit jokingly, said the CSK bowlers will have to 'play under a new captain' if they don't stop bowling wides and no-balls. Dhoni may have made the comment with a smile, but is a serious concern for CSK. And he is well aware of it.
Former West Indies pacer Ian Bishop and Sunil Gavaskar were in the commentary box when CSK's Tushar Deshpande overstepped in the last over. Bishop was quick to reveal that Dhoni had termed giving extras as 'unacceptable' after their defeat to GT.
"We spoke to Dhoni after the last match. he said (Rajvardhan) Hangargekar did exceptionally well but no-balls are unacceptable. He said in the (post-match) interview," Bishop said in commentary.
Gavaskar suggested keeping some sort of penalty for those bowl wides and no-balls in the match. "Maybe they should have some sort of penalty within the team," he said.
Ruturaj Gaikwad, Devon Conway and Moeen Ali were the stars for CSK in their 12-run victory against CSK. Playing their first match in front of their home ground in nearly four years, CSK put on a spectacle for their fans.
Gaikwad slammed his second successive fifty and shared 110 runs for the opening wicket with Conway (47 off 29) as CSK posted a commanding 217 for 7 after being sent into bat.
Gaikwad, after his 92 in the opening game, smashed 57 off 31 with three fours and four sixes. Conway, who hit five boundaries and two hits over the fence, gave him good support.
And then Moeen Ali returned with fine figures of 4 for 26 from his overs to help CSK restrict LSG to 205 for seven.