IPL 2023: SPECIAL DOUBLE TON! MS Dhoni to play his 200th game as CSK captain during RR face-off
IPL 2023: MS Dhoni to play his 200th game as CSK captain (Photo | IPL/BCCI).
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will play host to the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in match 17 of the IPL 2023 on Wednesday (April 12), at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai. Chennai have so far won twice and lost a game after three complete encounters and occupy the fifth spot in the points table. They will aim for their third win on the trot, after losing the season-opener, on home ground and give a memorable gift to their legendary captain MS Dhoni.
It is to be noted that 41-year-old Dhoni will be playing his 200th game as CSK captain in the IPL. Dhoni has led in 213 matches (leading the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiants in 13 matches in IPL 2016) overall in the IPL, winning 125 and losing 87 with a win percentage of 58.96. No other captain has even touched the 150-mark with Mumbai Indians' (MI) Rohit Sharma -- the most successful IPL captain with five titles -- coming second (146 games). Thus, the Yellow Army will be desperate to win the face-off versus Sanju Samson-led RR, who occupy the second spot in the overall standings, for Thala Dhoni.
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Dhoni has been the face of CSK since the tournament inception in 2008. Under him, Chennai has won the IPL championship on four occasions (2010, 2011, 2018 and 2021)and ended as the runners-up in five seasons (2008, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2019). In addition, CSK won the now-defunct Champions League (CLT20) twice under Dhoni's captaincy.
On the eve of Dhoni's historic game, Ravindra Jadeja told the reporters, "What can I say, he is a legend of Indian cricket. So, I would like to wish him good luck. Hopefully, in his 200th game, we will win in Chepauk and all the fans will be happy, so we continue the momentum. Hopefully, we win tomorrow and we give him a gift on his 200th (IPL) match as captain."