IPL 2018: MS Dhoni Talks About Winning the Title With CSK

CSK was gone for two years due to a match fixing scandal. But when they returned, they showcased why they are the best in IPL. After a brilliant performance the entire IPL 2018, CSK managed to clinch their third IPL trophy, and again under MS Dhoni. This was CSK’s sixth IPL final and Dhoni’s seventh. Somehow all the boxes check marked for them this season. Watson showcased the form of a lifetime. Dhoni and Rayudu batted beautifully. And the bowlers, none the less performed well.

After their victory against SRH in the finals, the CSK’s entire team celebrated. Dhoni, on the other hand, maintained his calm and composed personality. This is what he had to say post lifting the trophy:

“By the time you reach the final everybody know their roles. The fielders have to adjust their roles while fielding, but while batting the styles are well known. So if somebody is finding it difficult in the middle, you know the incoming batsmen wouldn’t find it easy as well. Well, Bhuvi is as deceptive as Rashid and thus it’s not just one bowler in their side who could put pressure on us. So it was a good batting effort, but we always had belief in the firepower our middle-order has. [On Bravo sitting with pads on] He keeps doing it on his own. There was no plan as such (to promote him up); with Faf playing Rayudu had to come down at four. But Bravo is someone who pads quite easily and stays ready. Very difficult to recall what the earlier championship wins were. A lot of people talk about stats, so?tonight is 27th, my jersey number is seven and this is the seventh final for us. Enough reasons to win it. But none of these reasons matter, what matters is that we’ve won it in the end.

We talked a lot about age but what matters is the fitness. Rayudu for example is 33, he’s someone who is fit, covers a lot of ground. Even if he plays a few games where he spends a lot of time in the ground and in the field, he never complains. So it is the fitness that really matters more than the age aspect. What captains want is players who move well in the field. It doesn’t matter which year a player is born in, whether you are 19 or 20 – you have to be agile. You have to accept your shortcomings. For example if I push Watson to stop a single, there is a very good chance that he’ll burst his hamstring and won’t be available for the next game. So what you tell yourselves is that they have to commit and try, but there’s no point getting injured for a single. No plans to celebrate as of now. We are going to Chennai tomorrow, meet a few people, the fans and some people who are close to the franchise. But we’ll have a get-together in the hotel and celebrate.