“Pick Payers who are team first,” MS Dhoni reveals CSK’s mantra of success as they qualify for 12th IPL playoff

Dhoni revealed that the constant backing from team management and the role clarity helps the players in CSK.

“Pick Payers who are team first,” MS Dhoni reveals CSK’s mantra of success as they qualify for 12th IPL playoff

MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) qualified for the IPL 2023 playoffs as the four-time champions toppled Delhi Capitals (DC) by 77 runs in their league-stage game. This is CSK’s 12th Playoff qualification in 14 appearances in IPL, the most by any franchise. Also, after a horrendous performance in the previous edition where CSK finished ninth, this is some performance from the Men in Yellow. 

While Dhoni is famous for his charisma, other players like Shivam Dube and Ajinkya Rahane stepping up and changing the course of the game has been the talking point this IPL. As CSK barged into another IPL playoff, Dhoni was asked for the reason behind the franchise’s consistent performances. To this, the CSK skipper revealed the simple yet highly effective formula that has worked for CSK.

Dhoni revealed that the constant backing from team management and the role clarity helps the players in CSK. Dhoni also revealed that there is no particular recipe for success and teams have to pick players who put the team above all.

“There’s no recipe (for success). You try to pick the best players and give them the best slot where they have the most chances of performing. You groom them in areas where they are not strong. Some players may have to make sacrifices in their slot for the sake of the team. Have to say that the team management has always backed us. But the players are always important,” he said at the post-match presentation.

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“I think we need to figure out and pick players who are team first. Ones that are not bothered about individual performances and perform their best at knockout stages. It is difficult to judge from the outside, we try and adjust to the players and environment as well. Even if the player can come 10 percent towards us (in terms of adjusting), we can adjust 50 percent to fit them better into the team,” Dhoni further stated. 

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MS Dhoni impressed with Tushar Deshpande’s growth

ms dhoni tushar deshpande

The CSK captain then also talked about the growth of his young bowlers, especially Tushar Deshpande. Dhoni looked impressed with Deshanpande’s growth as a death bowler while he reckoned it comes naturally to Matheesha Pathirana. 

“When it comes to death bowling, confidence is a very important factor. How many times can you execute the same skill under pressure. When you have the confidence, you can execute the skill more often than not. Behind the scenes a lot of work goes on (sharpening) death bowling,” said MSD. 

“Look at Tushar, the way he has developed because he is able to execute under pressure, he has the confidence now. And when you keep playing the same players, it helps. I think the bowlers have also taken the responsibility, Pathirana is quite a natural to bowling at the death but Tushar has really developed there.”

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