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MS Dhoni criticises Chidambaram's track despite winning first match of IPL 2019

WION Web Team
New Delhi, Delhi, IndiaUpdated: Mar 24, 2019, 05:24 PM IST
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File photo of Mahendra Singh Dhoni (L) celebrates with teammates. Photograph:(AFP)

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Dhoni said his reason for opting to bowl after winning the toss was the uncertainty over how the surface would behave as Chennai had the experience of playing a practice match leading into the IPL opener. 

Mahendra Singh Dhoni has criticised the slowness of the Chidambaram's track even after winning the first match of the twelfth edition of India Premier League against Virat Kohli-led Bangalore. 

During the match post-match presentation, Dhoni said, "I never expected the wicket to play how it actually played. It was too slow. We were really surprised by how slow the wicket was. It reminded me of a Champions League wicket in 2011 after we won the IPL."  

"The wicket definitely needs to be much better, even with dew it was spinning big," Dhoni added. 

Dhoni said his reason for opting to bowl after winning the toss was the uncertainty over how the surface would behave as Chennai had the experience of playing a practice match leading into the IPL opener. 

Virat's team was all-out for 70 in 17.1 overs, a target that Chennai achieved in 17.4 overs to win the match by seven wickets. 

Even Virat said the wicket looked much better than it played during the match. 

Kohli added, "We thought somewhere 140-150 would be an ideal score because of the dew factor later on. A scrappy sort of start to the league. That is what you get when you have a wicket like that." 

"But either team would have struggled batting first. I don't think either team had control over it. The pitch was under the covers for four days." 
Kohli felt neither teams enjoyed "that kind of a pitch". 

"I don't think either of the team would have enjoyed that kind of a pitch, especially in T20 cricket where guys want to get runs and put the runs on the board or chase scores down." 

"So the wicket needs to get much better than where it is right now. It needs to be (more) high scoring. Other teams have good spinners as well and this isn't the pitch we are looking forward to," the Dhoni added. 

"We were not really sure about the wicket. We played a practice game on the same wicket and it wasn't turning so much. It was a slightly high-scoring game. Yes, practice game, there is a tendency normally you will score 30 runs more than what you will in a proper game." 

Chennai will play its next match against Delhi on March 26.