Senior Indian spinner R Ashwin has been enjoying a brilliant campaign with his new team Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. While he has been among the wickets with the ball, Ashwin has also reinvented himself with the willow and has played some crucial knocks for his side. Ashwin recently opened up on his new role as a batter for RR in the lower-middle order and said it is the most unforgiving job.

Ashwin, who was released by Delhi Capitals (DC) earlier this year, was roped in by Rajasthan Royals at the IPL 2022 mega auction. He has been phenomenal for the 2008 champions and has been contributing with both bat and the ball. While he has 11 wickets to his name in 14 matches so far this season, Ashwin has also scored 183 runs at an impressive strike rate of over 146.

The spin all-rounder has been used both as a floater and a pinch-hitter in the RR batting line-up and has managed to deliver with the bat when asked to. He was also the first batter to retire out this season and also notched up his maiden IPL fifty against Delhi Capitals after being sent to bat up the order.

Opening up on batting in the lower-middle order, Ashwin said it is the most unforgiving job in cricket as he heaped praise on CSK skipper MS Dhoni for his incredible finishing skills. Dhoni, who is regarded as one of the best finishers in the game, has bailed his team out of trouble on several occasions while batting in the lower middle-order and has also won numerous matches for CSK as a finisher.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-president-sourav-ganguly-reacts-to-virat-kohli-and-rohit-sharmas-rough-patch-in-ipl-2022-481816">BCCI president Sourav Ganguly reacts to Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's rough patch in IPL 2022</a>

"Batting lower down the order in a T20 game is the most unforgiving thing in life. And for a very, very long time...I have just looked at MS Dhoni and said 'wow, this guy is amazing'. The amount of times he goes there, he keeps receiving this flak for slowing the game down, taking it deep and then closing it out," Ashwin said in an interview with Rajasthan Royals.

"It's an incredible ability, which I think a lot of players are trying to come behind MS and wanting to be MSD. There's something to learn. There's never going to be another MSD," he added.

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In conversation with a cricketer-scientist-legend. 
 
Now playing: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘢𝘷𝘪 𝘈𝘴𝘩𝘸𝘪𝘯 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RoyalsFamily?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RoyalsFamily</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GTvRR?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GTvRR</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/ashwinravi99?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ashwinravi99</a> <a href="https://t.co/b25zJdmuht">pic.twitter.com/b25zJdmuht</a>
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Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rr-vs-gt-yuzvendra-chahal-set-to-script-historic-feat-on-the-brink-of-breaking-an-all-time-record-in-ipl-481807">Yuzvendra Chahal set to script historic feat, on the brink of breaking an all-time record in IPL</a>

Ashwin will be hoping to continue his fine form with the bat and the ball when Rajasthan Royals lock horns with table-toppers Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Tuesday (May 24). While the winner will secure a spot in the final, the loser will get another shot at making it to the final in the second Qualifier against the winner of the Eliminator between RCB and Lucknow Super Giants.

Senior Indian spinner R Ashwin has been enjoying a brilliant campaign with his new team Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. While he has been among the wickets with the ball, Ashwin has also reinvented himself with the willow and has played some crucial knocks for his side.

Senior Indian spinner R Ashwin has been enjoying a brilliant campaign with his new team Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. While he has been among the wickets with the ball, Ashwin has also reinvented himself with the willow and has played some crucial knocks for his side. Ashwin recently opened up on his new role as a batter for RR in the lower-middle order and said it is the most unforgiving job. Ashwin, who was released by Delhi Capitals (DC) earlier this year, was roped in by Rajasthan Royals at the IPL 2022 mega auction. He has been phenomenal for the 2008 champions and has been contributing with both bat and the ball. While he has 11 wickets to his name in 14 matches so far this season, Ashwin has also scored 183 runs at an impressive strike rate of over 146. The spin all-rounder has been used both as a floater and a pinch-hitter in the RR batting line-up and has managed to deliver with the bat when asked to. He was also the first batter to retire out this season and also notched up his maiden IPL fifty against Delhi Capitals after being sent to bat up the order. Opening up on batting in the lower-middle order, Ashwin said it is the most unforgiving job in cricket as he heaped praise on CSK skipper MS Dhoni for his incredible finishing skills. Dhoni, who is regarded as one of the best finishers in the game, has bailed his team out of trouble on several occasions while batting in the lower middle-order and has also won numerous matches for CSK as a finisher. Also Read: BCCI president Sourav Ganguly reacts to Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's rough patch in IPL 2022 "Batting lower down the order in a T20 game is the most unforgiving thing in life. And for a very, very long time...I have just looked at MS Dhoni and said 'wow, this guy is amazing'. The amount of times he goes there, he keeps receiving this flak for slowing the game down, taking it deep and then closing it out," Ashwin said in an interview with Rajasthan Royals. "It's an incredible ability, which I think a lot of players are trying to come behind MS and wanting to be MSD. There's something to learn. There's never going to be another MSD," he added. In conversation with a cricketer-scientist-legend. Now playing: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘢𝘷𝘪 𝘈𝘴𝘩𝘸𝘪𝘯 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 #RoyalsFamily | #GTvRR | @ashwinravi99 pic.twitter.com/b25zJdmuht — Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) May 24, 2022 × Also Read: Yuzvendra Chahal set to script historic feat, on the brink of breaking an all-time record in IPL Ashwin will be hoping to continue his fine form with the bat and the ball when Rajasthan Royals lock horns with table-toppers Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Tuesday (May 24). While the winner will secure a spot in the final, the loser will get another shot at making it to the final in the second Qualifier against the winner of the Eliminator between RCB and Lucknow Super Giants.

'Never going to be another MS Dhoni': R Ashwin lauds CSK skipper for his incredible finishing ability

IPL 2022 becomes the first-ever season where both Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) have not qualified for the playoffs. In IPL 2016, both teams were also not part of the playoffs, however, CSK didn't feature&nbsp;back due to their two-year suspension&nbsp;in the spot-fixing scandal. Thus, it surely is the end of a magnificent era.

The MS Dhoni-starrer defending champions CSK ended at the ninth position in the points table. On the other hand, five-time winners and IPL's most successful team Mumbai couldn't avoid the wooden spoon despite a winning end to their forgettable campaign. Both sides returned with four victories and as many as ten defeats each. In fact, this was also the first time both franchises endured nine, or more, defeats in a season. In a nutshell, it can be said that two toppers fell flat and occupied the last two positions in the overall standings as other teams have surely mastered the art of winning big moments against them. However, the bigger question remains -- is MI-CSK's drubbing really a shocker? Well, it was always on the cards.

Many connoisseurs of the game might be quick to point out that the 'law of averages' was always going to bite the two famed sides. However, more than that CSK-MI's muddled approach, questionable team selections, playing styles, strategies, etc. were some notable reasons for their massive downfall.

1) Poor approach to the mega auction: Prior to the season, MI-CSK's team management's approach remained below par. After letting go of some big names in their roster, MI only managed to re-buy Ishan Kishan. Their replacements for the Pandya brothers, Quinton de Kock, Trent Boult, etc. were never really impressive (after including Daniel Sams, Riley Meredith, etc.). The Men in Blue also didn't purchase a solid spinner to spearhead the middle-overs. Murugan Ashwin did impress, however, he was also taken to the cleaners during some high-scorers. CSK, on the other hand, re-bought their core players, who seem to be well past their prime. It was an auction to look ahead, however, CSK's conservative approach sealed their fate then and there.

One might argue that CSK did pick young guns such as Mukesh Choudhary, Maheesh Theeshana, Simranjit Singh, etc., nonetheless, they never cared to properly rebuild their bowling unit. Either they had international bowlers woefully out of form, or only good to chip in with few overs, or it turned out to be too much reliance on youngsters in Deepak Chahar's absence.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ive-only-seen-zaheer-nehra-do-that-during-my-time-virender-sehwag-lavishes-praise-on-punjab-pacer-481437">'I've only seen Zaheer, Nehra do that during my time' - Virender Sehwag lavishes praise on Punjab pacer</a>

2) Captaincy and team management woes:&nbsp;CSK isn't a team that makes headlines for captaincy woes and reports of a rift between a player, or players, and team management. This season saw them tick off both the boxes. Firstly, if Dhoni was sure to give up captaincy to all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja much before the season started, Jadeja still looked like a fish out of the water. His&nbsp;approach was half-baked whereas, in some crunch games, he seemed out of the picture with Dhoni leading the charge. Lastly, when Jadeja relinquished captaincy and Dhoni returned to the post officially, reports of a rift between CSK team management and Jadeja took precedence. Even if the reports have been quashed completely, something was surely not right in the way things were handled&nbsp;in the Yellow Army camp.

3) Dubious selections and strategies:&nbsp;Both MI and CSK have been successful as they follow a similar template, i.e. backing their group of players and accomodating a change in strategy when needed. However, IPL 2022 saw both teams make some surprising calls in terms of team selection and erring in strategies. While CSK admitted to have not read the pitch properly on a few occasions (read Dhoni's post-match comments after their second loss to Gujarat Titans), they didn't back Devon Conway after his failure on debut. MI, on the other hand, dropped Tim David -- who was roped in for INR 82.5 million -- after a few flop shows. Similarly, MI didn't go all-out in the usage of Jasprit Bumrah with him not opening the bowling in several matches. Meanwhile,&nbsp;CSK's rotation of bowlers and top order's timid approach never saw them coming to their usual best. During Jadeja's captaincy, the rotation of bowlers was also not up to the mark.

These factors led to both CSK and MI failing to emerge on top in several close encounters (versus Lucknow Super Giants, Gujarat, Kolkata Knight Riders, Punjab Kings, etc.). There was utter chaos, a lack of role clarity and imbalance among batters and bowlers, especially at the initial stages, to confirm both sides' early exit.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-playoffs-all-you-need-to-know-about-schedule-timings-and-venues-481387">IPL 2022 playoffs: All you need to know about schedule, timings and venues</a>

4) Lack of form, injury to key players ruining it all:&nbsp;To add salt to their wounds, Chennai and Mumbai's star players never really stood tall. The likes of Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, Kieron Pollard, Ruturaj Gaikwad, etc. never&nbsp;threatened opposition camps with their consistency or form. Bumrah wasn't among wickets at regular intervals, barring a game where he ended with a five-fer, whereas Dhoni, Ambati Rayudu, Dwayne Bravo, and Robin Uthappa did their best but it wasn't enough.

MI and CSK's big buys also underperformed. While Ishan, the most expensive&nbsp;player of this year's mega auction, ended with 400-plus runs, he struck at 121.11. On the other hand, CSK missed the services of Chahar, who remains injured and out of action. Injuries to Jadeja-Suryakumar Yadav in the fag end of the league stage also hurt the wounded CSK and MI line-up.&nbsp;

Hence, both CSK and MI are deservingly out of the playoffs race. As the two are highly successful in IPL, expect them to bounce back sooner than later. However, both MI and CSK need to go back to the drawing board to rethink their approach, and playing style, revamp next year and be more ruthless as the tournament is now much more difficult to crack with the addition of two new teams.

IPL 2022 becomes the first-ever season where both Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) have not qualified for the playoffs. In IPL 2016, both teams were also not part of the playoffs, however, CSK didn't feature back due to their two-year suspension in the spot-fixing scandal.

IPL 2022 becomes the first-ever season where both Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) have not qualified for the playoffs. In IPL 2016, both teams were also not part of the playoffs, however, CSK didn't feature back due to their two-year suspension in the spot-fixing scandal. Thus, it surely is the end of a magnificent era. The MS Dhoni-starrer defending champions CSK ended at the ninth position in the points table. On the other hand, five-time winners and IPL's most successful team Mumbai couldn't avoid the wooden spoon despite a winning end to their forgettable campaign. Both sides returned with four victories and as many as ten defeats each. In fact, this was also the first time both franchises endured nine, or more, defeats in a season. In a nutshell, it can be said that two toppers fell flat and occupied the last two positions in the overall standings as other teams have surely mastered the art of winning big moments against them. However, the bigger question remains -- is MI-CSK's drubbing really a shocker? Well, it was always on the cards. Many connoisseurs of the game might be quick to point out that the 'law of averages' was always going to bite the two famed sides. However, more than that CSK-MI's muddled approach, questionable team selections, playing styles, strategies, etc. were some notable reasons for their massive downfall. 1) Poor approach to the mega auction: Prior to the season, MI-CSK's team management's approach remained below par. After letting go of some big names in their roster, MI only managed to re-buy Ishan Kishan. Their replacements for the Pandya brothers, Quinton de Kock, Trent Boult, etc. were never really impressive (after including Daniel Sams, Riley Meredith, etc.). The Men in Blue also didn't purchase a solid spinner to spearhead the middle-overs. Murugan Ashwin did impress, however, he was also taken to the cleaners during some high-scorers. CSK, on the other hand, re-bought their core players, who seem to be well past their prime. It was an auction to look ahead, however, CSK's conservative approach sealed their fate then and there. One might argue that CSK did pick young guns such as Mukesh Choudhary, Maheesh Theeshana, Simranjit Singh, etc., nonetheless, they never cared to properly rebuild their bowling unit. Either they had international bowlers woefully out of form, or only good to chip in with few overs, or it turned out to be too much reliance on youngsters in Deepak Chahar's absence. ALSO READ | 'I've only seen Zaheer, Nehra do that during my time' - Virender Sehwag lavishes praise on Punjab pacer 2) Captaincy and team management woes: CSK isn't a team that makes headlines for captaincy woes and reports of a rift between a player, or players, and team management. This season saw them tick off both the boxes. Firstly, if Dhoni was sure to give up captaincy to all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja much before the season started, Jadeja still looked like a fish out of the water. His approach was half-baked whereas, in some crunch games, he seemed out of the picture with Dhoni leading the charge. Lastly, when Jadeja relinquished captaincy and Dhoni returned to the post officially, reports of a rift between CSK team management and Jadeja took precedence. Even if the reports have been quashed completely, something was surely not right in the way things were handled in the Yellow Army camp. 3) Dubious selections and strategies: Both MI and CSK have been successful as they follow a similar template, i.e. backing their group of players and accomodating a change in strategy when needed. However, IPL 2022 saw both teams make some surprising calls in terms of team selection and erring in strategies. While CSK admitted to have not read the pitch properly on a few occasions (read Dhoni's post-match comments after their second loss to Gujarat Titans), they didn't back Devon Conway after his failure on debut. MI, on the other hand, dropped Tim David -- who was roped in for INR 82.5 million -- after a few flop shows. Similarly, MI didn't go all-out in the usage of Jasprit Bumrah with him not opening the bowling in several matches. Meanwhile, CSK's rotation of bowlers and top order's timid approach never saw them coming to their usual best. During Jadeja's captaincy, the rotation of bowlers was also not up to the mark. These factors led to both CSK and MI failing to emerge on top in several close encounters (versus Lucknow Super Giants, Gujarat, Kolkata Knight Riders, Punjab Kings, etc.). There was utter chaos, a lack of role clarity and imbalance among batters and bowlers, especially at the initial stages, to confirm both sides' early exit. ALSO READ | IPL 2022 playoffs: All you need to know about schedule, timings and venues 4) Lack of form, injury to key players ruining it all: To add salt to their wounds, Chennai and Mumbai's star players never really stood tall. The likes of Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, Kieron Pollard, Ruturaj Gaikwad, etc. never threatened opposition camps with their consistency or form. Bumrah wasn't among wickets at regular intervals, barring a game where he ended with a five-fer, whereas Dhoni, Ambati Rayudu, Dwayne Bravo, and Robin Uthappa did their best but it wasn't enough. MI and CSK's big buys also underperformed. While Ishan, the most expensive player of this year's mega auction, ended with 400-plus runs, he struck at 121.11. On the other hand, CSK missed the services of Chahar, who remains injured and out of action. Injuries to Jadeja-Suryakumar Yadav in the fag end of the league stage also hurt the wounded CSK and MI line-up. Hence, both CSK and MI are deservingly out of the playoffs race. As the two are highly successful in IPL, expect them to bounce back sooner than later. However, both MI and CSK need to go back to the drawing board to rethink their approach, and playing style, revamp next year and be more ruthless as the tournament is now much more difficult to crack with the addition of two new teams.

IPL 2022: How MS Dhoni's CSK and Rohit Sharma-led MI's debacle was always on the cards

The fanfare surrounding MS Dhoni is the same irrespective of the venue and the Chennai Super Kings skipper is well known for enjoying a passionate following among cricket fans. Dhoni has won three major titles with the Indian cricket team and four Indian Premier League (IPL) titles with Chennai Super Kings which catapulted him to superstardom across the country. The fandom was evident once on Friday as a fan breached the security to meet Dhoni during the IPL encounter.

During the match between CSK and Rajasthan Royals at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai, it was a sea of yellow once again despite Dhoni &amp; Co having no chance of making the playoffs. The supporters were once again to support CSK with Dhoni’s future in doubt. However, Dhoni made it clear at the toss that he will be back to lead the four-time champions in 2023.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pathetic-comment-sunil-gavaskar-slammed-for-distasteful-remark-on-shimron-hetmyer-and-his-wife-480937">Gavaskar slammed for distasteful remark on Hetmyer and his wife</a>

Being asked about the big query by Ian Bishop, Dhoni was quick to respond and said, "Definitely, because it will be unfair not to say thank you to Chennai. Won't be nice to do that to CSK fans.

During the match, a fan was able to dodge the security of the stadium and run inside to meet Dhoni. However, the umpires acted as a cover and did not allow him to reach the CSK skipper and the fan was quickly captured and taken away by the guards present at the Brabourne Stadium.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XAyha6Ce4t4" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

CSK were defeated once again as they ended their disappointing season with just eight points and Dhoni scored just 26 runs from 28 balls in an innings which was not convincing enough.

The fanfare surrounding MS Dhoni is the same irrespective of the venue and the Chennai Super Kings skipper is well known for enjoying a passionate following among cricket fans.

The fanfare surrounding MS Dhoni is the same irrespective of the venue and the Chennai Super Kings skipper is well known for enjoying a passionate following among cricket fans. Dhoni has won three major titles with the Indian cricket team and four Indian Premier League (IPL) titles with Chennai Super Kings which catapulted him to superstardom across the country. The fandom was evident once on Friday as a fan breached the security to meet Dhoni during the IPL encounter. During the match between CSK and Rajasthan Royals at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai, it was a sea of yellow once again despite Dhoni & Co having no chance of making the playoffs. The supporters were once again to support CSK with Dhoni’s future in doubt. However, Dhoni made it clear at the toss that he will be back to lead the four-time champions in 2023. Also read | Gavaskar slammed for distasteful remark on Hetmyer and his wife Being asked about the big query by Ian Bishop, Dhoni was quick to respond and said, "Definitely, because it will be unfair not to say thank you to Chennai. Won't be nice to do that to CSK fans. During the match, a fan was able to dodge the security of the stadium and run inside to meet Dhoni. However, the umpires acted as a cover and did not allow him to reach the CSK skipper and the fan was quickly captured and taken away by the guards present at the Brabourne Stadium. CSK were defeated once again as they ended their disappointing season with just eight points and Dhoni scored just 26 runs from 28 balls in an innings which was not convincing enough.

IPL 2022: Fan breaches security to meet MS Dhoni during RR vs CSK match - WATCH

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni heaped praise on Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana after his impressive show for the franchise in his debut season. Pathirana was roped in by CSK as a replacement for injured Adam Milne midway through the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 and has since managed to play two matches for the franchise.

Dubbed as the 'Baby Malinga' for his slingy action which resembles former Sri Lankan pacer Lasith Malinga, Pathirana got off to a dream start in his IPL career. He picked up a wicket off the very first ball he bowled for CSK in their clash against Gujarat Titans. The Sri Lankan youngster dismissed GT skipper Hardik Pandya on the very first ball of his first over.

He picked up two wickets while conceding 24 runs in 3.1 overs against Gujarat Titans and also featured in CSK's final game of the season against Rajasthan Royals on Friday (May 20). Though he went wicketless, Pathirana was lauded by Dhoni, who believes he is going to have a bright future for CSK in the IPL.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pathetic-comment-sunil-gavaskar-slammed-for-distasteful-remark-on-shimron-hetmyer-and-his-wife-480937">'Pathetic comment': Sunil Gavaskar slammed for distasteful remark on Shimron Hetmyer and his wife</a>

"Our Malinga (Pathirana) is really good. It is difficult to pick him and he'll only definitely contribute next year...in a big way," said Dhoni speaking about Pathirana after his side's loss against Rajasthan Royals on Friday.

Talking about the game, CSK won the toss and opted to bat first against the Royals at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai. They got off to a shaky start losing opener Ruturaj Gaikwad (2) cheaply before losing Devon Conway (16) early as well. However, Moeen Ali's brilliant 93 off 57 balls helped them put up 150 runs on the board in 20 overs as other batters failed to deliver.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/csk-legend-ms-dhoni-confirms-participation-in-ipl-2023-says-will-be-unfair-not-to-say-thank-you-to-chennai-480762">MS Dhoni confirms participation in IPL 2023, says 'will be unfair to not say thank you to Chennai'</a>

RR chased down the target comfortably with two balls to spare riding comfortably on crucial knocks from Yashasvi Jaiswal (59) and R Ashwin (40). With the win, RR moved to the second spot on the points table while CSK, who are already out of the playoffs are at the 9th spot on the table.&nbsp;

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni heaped praise on Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana after his impressive show for the franchise in his debut season.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni heaped praise on Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana after his impressive show for the franchise in his debut season. Pathirana was roped in by CSK as a replacement for injured Adam Milne midway through the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 and has since managed to play two matches for the franchise. Dubbed as the 'Baby Malinga' for his slingy action which resembles former Sri Lankan pacer Lasith Malinga, Pathirana got off to a dream start in his IPL career. He picked up a wicket off the very first ball he bowled for CSK in their clash against Gujarat Titans. The Sri Lankan youngster dismissed GT skipper Hardik Pandya on the very first ball of his first over. He picked up two wickets while conceding 24 runs in 3.1 overs against Gujarat Titans and also featured in CSK's final game of the season against Rajasthan Royals on Friday (May 20). Though he went wicketless, Pathirana was lauded by Dhoni, who believes he is going to have a bright future for CSK in the IPL. Also Read: 'Pathetic comment': Sunil Gavaskar slammed for distasteful remark on Shimron Hetmyer and his wife "Our Malinga (Pathirana) is really good. It is difficult to pick him and he'll only definitely contribute next year...in a big way," said Dhoni speaking about Pathirana after his side's loss against Rajasthan Royals on Friday. Talking about the game, CSK won the toss and opted to bat first against the Royals at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai. They got off to a shaky start losing opener Ruturaj Gaikwad (2) cheaply before losing Devon Conway (16) early as well. However, Moeen Ali's brilliant 93 off 57 balls helped them put up 150 runs on the board in 20 overs as other batters failed to deliver. Also Read: MS Dhoni confirms participation in IPL 2023, says 'will be unfair to not say thank you to Chennai' RR chased down the target comfortably with two balls to spare riding comfortably on crucial knocks from Yashasvi Jaiswal (59) and R Ashwin (40). With the win, RR moved to the second spot on the points table while CSK, who are already out of the playoffs are at the 9th spot on the table.

'Our Malinga': MS Dhoni heaps praise on Matheesha Pathirana, says he will contribute for CSK in a big way

Ravichandran Ashwin, once again, proved his utility with the bat when his team needed it the most as Rajasthan Royals defeated Chennai Super Kings by five wickets to finish the IPL league phase in Top-2 here on Friday.

Ashwin remained unbeaten on 40 off 23 balls as RR completed the chase of 151 with two balls to go, grabbing the second place to set up a blockbuster clash with Gujarat Titans in the first play-off next Tuesday. 
Moeen Ali top-scored for CSK with a 57-ball 93 before RR staged a remarkable comeback to restrict the yellow brigade to 150 for six in the allotted 20 overs. Young Yashasvi Jaiswal (59 off 44 balls) got RR off to a brisk start with back-to-back boundaries off Mukesh Choudhary in the innings' first over.

In fact, by the time the first over of their innings came to an end, RR qualified for the play-offs on net run rate, leaving Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Capitals to fight for the fourth spot. 
Simarjeet Singh struck early for CSK, sending back the dangerous Jos Buttler (2), who edged an away going delivery to Moeen's waiting hands at slip. Jaiswal struck two more successive boundaries in the next over and to give RR innings stability, the 20-year-old opener added 51 runs for the second wicket with captain Sanju Samson (15).

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-updated-points-table-rajasthan-royals-confirm-place-in-qualifier-1-beat-chennai-super-kings-480818">IPL 2022 updated points table: Rajasthan Royals confirm place in Qualifier 1, beat Chennai Super Kings</a>

However, Samson again failed to translate his start into a substantial contribution as left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner had the batter caught and bowled. Devdutt Padikkal (3) did not last long and was bowled by Moeen to leave RR at 76 for three in the 12th over, and with some work left to do. 
Having brought up his half-century in 39 balls, and after a six over long-on, the well-set Jaiswal got out to Prashant Solanki while trying to clear the fence.

Back from Guyana after celebrating the birth of his child, Shimron Hetmyer (6) arrived at the crease with high hopes of finishing it for RR, but could not do much as he fell to Solanki. However, Ravichandran Ashwin kept RR in the hunt with his sensible batting at one end.

Earlier, Moeen blazed away in the power play but slowed down considerably thereafter as Chennai Super Kings struggled for runs in the back 10. Batting first after his skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss, Moeen smashed his way to a 19-ball 50, and was 59 off 24 at the end of the first six power play overs, with CSK racing away to 75 for the loss of one wicket. In all, Moeen made 93 off 57 balls with 13 fours and three sixes.

However, after being at the receiving end of Moeen's brutal onslaught during which the England all-rounder made a bowler of Trent Boult's calibre look like an uncapped player by bludgeoning him for 26 runs in an over, the RR bowling unit made a fine recovery. There was a phase in the innings when CSK failed to find a boundary for 45 balls, before Dhoni (26) roared back to pull Yuzvendra Chahal (2/26) over deep square leg. 
As far as Mooen was concerned, he was kept by the RR bowlers for a longer time. After he hit Chahal's flighted delivery through cover for a four in the fourth ball of the seventh over, Moeen found his next four three balls into the 17th over, the bowler being Obed McCoy (2/20), at the Wankhede Stadium.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/csk-legend-ms-dhoni-confirms-participation-in-ipl-2023-says-will-be-unfair-not-to-say-thank-you-to-chennai-480762">CSK legend MS Dhoni confirms participation in IPL 2023, says 'will be unfair to not say thank you to Chennai'</a>

Dhoni smoked Prasidh Krishna for a six over deep midwicket in the beginning of the next over, but the seamer came back strongly in the remaining five balls.

To start with, CSK were 3 for one after two overs but Devon Conway and Moeen broke loose after that, scoring 12 and 18 runs in the next two overs and get the yellow brigade's innings up and running. 
Mooen was getting the big shots going with consummate ease, even as Conway looked on from the other end. Mooen reached his half-century with an uppercut over the third man boundary off Boult.

That over -- the last before power play ended -- saw Moeen go hard at Boult, hitting the seasoned New Zealand pacer for a six and five boundaries. Before that, Prasidh conceded 18 runs in an over which forced Sanju Samson to introduce the experienced Ravichandran Ashwin (1/28) into the attack, but he too was struck for 16 runs by Moeen.

Ravichandran Ashwin, once again, proved his utility with the bat when his team needed it the most as Rajasthan Royals defeated Chennai Super Kings by five wickets to finish the IPL league phase in Top-2 here on Friday.

Ravichandran Ashwin, once again, proved his utility with the bat when his team needed it the most as Rajasthan Royals defeated Chennai Super Kings by five wickets to finish the IPL league phase in Top-2 here on Friday. Ashwin remained unbeaten on 40 off 23 balls as RR completed the chase of 151 with two balls to go, grabbing the second place to set up a blockbuster clash with Gujarat Titans in the first play-off next Tuesday. Moeen Ali top-scored for CSK with a 57-ball 93 before RR staged a remarkable comeback to restrict the yellow brigade to 150 for six in the allotted 20 overs. Young Yashasvi Jaiswal (59 off 44 balls) got RR off to a brisk start with back-to-back boundaries off Mukesh Choudhary in the innings' first over. In fact, by the time the first over of their innings came to an end, RR qualified for the play-offs on net run rate, leaving Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Capitals to fight for the fourth spot. Simarjeet Singh struck early for CSK, sending back the dangerous Jos Buttler (2), who edged an away going delivery to Moeen's waiting hands at slip. Jaiswal struck two more successive boundaries in the next over and to give RR innings stability, the 20-year-old opener added 51 runs for the second wicket with captain Sanju Samson (15). ALSO READ | IPL 2022 updated points table: Rajasthan Royals confirm place in Qualifier 1, beat Chennai Super Kings However, Samson again failed to translate his start into a substantial contribution as left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner had the batter caught and bowled. Devdutt Padikkal (3) did not last long and was bowled by Moeen to leave RR at 76 for three in the 12th over, and with some work left to do. Having brought up his half-century in 39 balls, and after a six over long-on, the well-set Jaiswal got out to Prashant Solanki while trying to clear the fence. Back from Guyana after celebrating the birth of his child, Shimron Hetmyer (6) arrived at the crease with high hopes of finishing it for RR, but could not do much as he fell to Solanki. However, Ravichandran Ashwin kept RR in the hunt with his sensible batting at one end. Earlier, Moeen blazed away in the power play but slowed down considerably thereafter as Chennai Super Kings struggled for runs in the back 10. Batting first after his skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss, Moeen smashed his way to a 19-ball 50, and was 59 off 24 at the end of the first six power play overs, with CSK racing away to 75 for the loss of one wicket. In all, Moeen made 93 off 57 balls with 13 fours and three sixes. However, after being at the receiving end of Moeen's brutal onslaught during which the England all-rounder made a bowler of Trent Boult's calibre look like an uncapped player by bludgeoning him for 26 runs in an over, the RR bowling unit made a fine recovery. There was a phase in the innings when CSK failed to find a boundary for 45 balls, before Dhoni (26) roared back to pull Yuzvendra Chahal (2/26) over deep square leg. As far as Mooen was concerned, he was kept by the RR bowlers for a longer time. After he hit Chahal's flighted delivery through cover for a four in the fourth ball of the seventh over, Moeen found his next four three balls into the 17th over, the bowler being Obed McCoy (2/20), at the Wankhede Stadium. ALSO READ | CSK legend MS Dhoni confirms participation in IPL 2023, says 'will be unfair to not say thank you to Chennai' Dhoni smoked Prasidh Krishna for a six over deep midwicket in the beginning of the next over, but the seamer came back strongly in the remaining five balls. To start with, CSK were 3 for one after two overs but Devon Conway and Moeen broke loose after that, scoring 12 and 18 runs in the next two overs and get the yellow brigade's innings up and running. Mooen was getting the big shots going with consummate ease, even as Conway looked on from the other end. Mooen reached his half-century with an uppercut over the third man boundary off Boult. That over -- the last before power play ended -- saw Moeen go hard at Boult, hitting the seasoned New Zealand pacer for a six and five boundaries. Before that, Prasidh conceded 18 runs in an over which forced Sanju Samson to introduce the experienced Ravichandran Ashwin (1/28) into the attack, but he too was struck for 16 runs by Moeen.

IPL 2022: R Ashwin's all-round blitz, Yashasvi Jaiswal take RR to Qualifier 1 with 5-wicket win over CSK

Match 68 of the IPL 2022 edition saw the one-time winners Rajasthan Royals (RR) beat the defending champions and four-time champions MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by five wickets at the Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai on Friday evening (May 20).&nbsp;

Opting to bat first, Dhoni gave a breather to a plethora of his fans worldwide, after&nbsp;the coin toss,&nbsp;by confirming his participation in the IPL 2023 edition. Despite losing Ruturaj Gaikwad early, Moeen Ali's rapid start took CSK to 75 for 1 in six overs. Moeen smashed Trent Boult 6,4,4,4,4,4, however, things took a turn for the worse from thereon.&nbsp;

Chennai's middle-order fell flat and despite some hits from MS Dhoni (28-ball 26) and Moeen's 57-ball 93, they only managed 150-6 with Yuzi Chahal-Obed McCoy's twin scalps each and R Ashwin-Boult striking with one wicket apiece.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/csk-legend-ms-dhoni-confirms-participation-in-ipl-2023-says-will-be-unfair-not-to-say-thank-you-to-chennai-480762">CSK legend MS Dhoni confirms participation in IPL 2023, says 'will be unfair to not say thank you to Chennai'</a>

In reply, Sanju Samson-led RR lost Jos Buttler early in pursuit of 151. Yashasvi Jaiswal looked comfortable from his end and continued to keep the scoreboard ticking amid some dents in the chase. After Jaiswal's fall, Ashwin's 23-ball 40 not out took RR to a five-wicket win and confirmed their spot in Qualifier 1, where they will now face table-toppers Gujarat Titans.

Here's the IPL 2022 Updated Points Table after CSK-RR clash:

<img alt="Points Table after CSK-RR clash" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c51dc1b0-72be-4dd1-b6f9-128307c10346" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/PT%20after%20RR%20beat%20CSK.png" />

Qualifier 1 will now see RR lock horns with GT whereas Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) will face either Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) or Delhi Capitals (DC) in the Eliminator.

Match 68 of the IPL 2022 edition saw the one-time winners Rajasthan Royals (RR) beat the defending champions and four-time champions MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by five wickets at the Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai on Friday evening (May 20).

Match 68 of the IPL 2022 edition saw the one-time winners Rajasthan Royals (RR) beat the defending champions and four-time champions MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by five wickets at the Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai on Friday evening (May 20). Opting to bat first, Dhoni gave a breather to a plethora of his fans worldwide, after the coin toss, by confirming his participation in the IPL 2023 edition. Despite losing Ruturaj Gaikwad early, Moeen Ali's rapid start took CSK to 75 for 1 in six overs. Moeen smashed Trent Boult 6,4,4,4,4,4, however, things took a turn for the worse from thereon. Chennai's middle-order fell flat and despite some hits from MS Dhoni (28-ball 26) and Moeen's 57-ball 93, they only managed 150-6 with Yuzi Chahal-Obed McCoy's twin scalps each and R Ashwin-Boult striking with one wicket apiece. ALSO READ | CSK legend MS Dhoni confirms participation in IPL 2023, says 'will be unfair to not say thank you to Chennai' In reply, Sanju Samson-led RR lost Jos Buttler early in pursuit of 151. Yashasvi Jaiswal looked comfortable from his end and continued to keep the scoreboard ticking amid some dents in the chase. After Jaiswal's fall, Ashwin's 23-ball 40 not out took RR to a five-wicket win and confirmed their spot in Qualifier 1, where they will now face table-toppers Gujarat Titans. Here's the IPL 2022 Updated Points Table after CSK-RR clash: Qualifier 1 will now see RR lock horns with GT whereas Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) will face either Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) or Delhi Capitals (DC) in the Eliminator.

IPL 2022 updated points table: Rajasthan Royals confirm place in Qualifier 1, beat Chennai Super Kings

The social media platform Twitter saw MS Dhoni trending on Friday afternoon (May 20). As the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) is playing their last game of the IPL 2022 edition, locking horns with Rajasthan Royals (RR) in match 68 of the 15th season, all eyes are on Dhoni as he is featuring on the 22-yard cricket strip for the last time this year.

While all&nbsp;were eager to hear about Dhoni's IPL future, the 40-year-old answered the big question during the coin toss. Being asked about the big query&nbsp;by Ian Bishop, Dhoni was quick to respond and said, "Definitely, because it will be unfair not to say thank you to Chennai. Won't be nice to do that to CSK fans." As soon as Dhoni's reply was heard by one and all in the Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai, the crowd was buzzing with a loud cheer and applause.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/he-is-an-expressive-player-and-should-play-like-this-harbhajan-singh-on-virat-kohlis-73-in-rcb-gt-tie-480723">'He is an expressive player and should play like this' - Harbhajan Singh on Virat Kohli's 73 in RCB-GT tie</a>

With the defending champions and four-time winners CSK out of the playoffs race and sure to finish in the bottom two, many were hoping for Dhoni to continue for at least another season in the Yellow Army. As per a report in ESPN Cricinfo, he is even expected to continue as the Chennai captain&nbsp;next year.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/csk-vacs-rr-ipl-2022-prediction-today-who-will-win-chennai-super-kings-vs-rajasthan-royals-match-480693">CSK vs RR, IPL 2022 prediction today: Who will win Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals match?</a>

Many had thought that an aging&nbsp;Dhoni would under-perform in IPL 2022, after two forgettable seasons on the trot, the veteran keeper-batter has surprised one and all with his finishing skills still being intact and he has even entertained the crowd with some big hits. In 13 games, he has amassed 206 runs at 128.75 with one fifty and a few vital cameos.&nbsp;

Overall, Dhoni has 4,952 IPL runs in 234 games, with 24 half-centuries at a strike rate of&nbsp;135.52. He remains a big name in world cricket despite retiring from the international circuit in August 2020. For India, he ended with 17,266 runs, including&nbsp;108 half-centuries and 16 tons overall. He ended with third-most dismissals by a keeper, overall, and also led India to all three major ICC titles.

The social media platform Twitter saw MS Dhoni trending on Friday afternoon (May 20). As the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) is playing their last game of the IPL 2022 edition, locking horns with Rajasthan Royals (RR) in match 68 of the 15th season, all eyes are on Dhoni as he is featuring on the 22-yard cricket strip for the last time this year.

The social media platform Twitter saw MS Dhoni trending on Friday afternoon (May 20). As the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) is playing their last game of the IPL 2022 edition, locking horns with Rajasthan Royals (RR) in match 68 of the 15th season, all eyes are on Dhoni as he is featuring on the 22-yard cricket strip for the last time this year. While all were eager to hear about Dhoni's IPL future, the 40-year-old answered the big question during the coin toss. Being asked about the big query by Ian Bishop, Dhoni was quick to respond and said, "Definitely, because it will be unfair not to say thank you to Chennai. Won't be nice to do that to CSK fans." As soon as Dhoni's reply was heard by one and all in the Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai, the crowd was buzzing with a loud cheer and applause. ALSO READ | 'He is an expressive player and should play like this' - Harbhajan Singh on Virat Kohli's 73 in RCB-GT tie With the defending champions and four-time winners CSK out of the playoffs race and sure to finish in the bottom two, many were hoping for Dhoni to continue for at least another season in the Yellow Army. As per a report in ESPN Cricinfo, he is even expected to continue as the Chennai captain next year. ALSO READ | CSK vs RR, IPL 2022 prediction today: Who will win Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals match? Many had thought that an aging Dhoni would under-perform in IPL 2022, after two forgettable seasons on the trot, the veteran keeper-batter has surprised one and all with his finishing skills still being intact and he has even entertained the crowd with some big hits. In 13 games, he has amassed 206 runs at 128.75 with one fifty and a few vital cameos. Overall, Dhoni has 4,952 IPL runs in 234 games, with 24 half-centuries at a strike rate of 135.52. He remains a big name in world cricket despite retiring from the international circuit in August 2020. For India, he ended with 17,266 runs, including 108 half-centuries and 16 tons overall. He ended with third-most dismissals by a keeper, overall, and also led India to all three major ICC titles.

CSK legend MS Dhoni confirms participation in IPL 2023, says 'will be unfair to not say thank you to Chennai'

On Friday evening (May 20), the one-time winners Sanju Samson-led Rajasthan Royals (RR) will face the defending champions and four-time winners Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in match 68 at the&nbsp;Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai.&nbsp;

While Rajasthan have very much&nbsp;made it to the playoffs (they just need to ensure&nbsp;their positive NRR isn't hit badly even in case of a loss), they still have lots to play for. If they win, they will assure themselves of a top-two finish, however, a loss will mean they will have to take a longer route to reach the final. On the other hand, the Chennai franchise will be desperate to finish off a forgettable season with a win. So far, they have managed only four victories from 13 games and have been a pale shadow of themselves.&nbsp;

Talking about Rajasthan, Jos Buttler remains the Orange Cap holder but has lost some form in the recent outings. He will like to get back among runs before the playoffs. RR would be eager to finalise their team combination, especially knowing who will be their fourth overseas player, as the time to chop and change has gone. CSK, on the other hand, have been rusty with both bat and ball. Expect some more new faces to appear in the playing XI and learn from none other than MS Dhoni, who will play his last game on the 22-yard cricket strip this year.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-updated-points-table-royal-challengers-bangalore-move-to-4th-spot-with-easy-win-over-gujarat-titans-480528">IPL 2022 updated points table: Royal Challengers Bangalore move to 4th spot with easy win over Gujarat Titans</a>

Match prediction for CSK vs RR clash:&nbsp;The venue has been favourable for batters as well as the spinners. Expect a high-scoring affair, around 165-170-plus, especially if RR bat first. While the odds favour RR to pip CSK, will the Yellow Army stun the 2008 champions with a narrow win?

On Friday evening (May 20), the one-time winners Sanju Samson-led Rajasthan Royals (RR) will face the defending champions and four-time winners Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in match 68 at the Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai.

On Friday evening (May 20), the one-time winners Sanju Samson-led Rajasthan Royals (RR) will face the defending champions and four-time winners Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in match 68 at the Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai. While Rajasthan have very much made it to the playoffs (they just need to ensure their positive NRR isn't hit badly even in case of a loss), they still have lots to play for. If they win, they will assure themselves of a top-two finish, however, a loss will mean they will have to take a longer route to reach the final. On the other hand, the Chennai franchise will be desperate to finish off a forgettable season with a win. So far, they have managed only four victories from 13 games and have been a pale shadow of themselves. Talking about Rajasthan, Jos Buttler remains the Orange Cap holder but has lost some form in the recent outings. He will like to get back among runs before the playoffs. RR would be eager to finalise their team combination, especially knowing who will be their fourth overseas player, as the time to chop and change has gone. CSK, on the other hand, have been rusty with both bat and ball. Expect some more new faces to appear in the playing XI and learn from none other than MS Dhoni, who will play his last game on the 22-yard cricket strip this year. ALSO READ | IPL 2022 updated points table: Royal Challengers Bangalore move to 4th spot with easy win over Gujarat Titans Match prediction for CSK vs RR clash: The venue has been favourable for batters as well as the spinners. Expect a high-scoring affair, around 165-170-plus, especially if RR bat first. While the odds favour RR to pip CSK, will the Yellow Army stun the 2008 champions with a narrow win?

CSK vs RR, IPL 2022 prediction today: Who will win Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals match?

Since the 2000s, Indian men's cricket has been blessed with some brilliant captains which have led to the national side's resounding success. While Sourav Ganguly had to start from scratch after taking over post the match-fixing saga, Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble did well for a brief period before MS Dhoni took over and later passed on the baton to Virat Kohli. Kohli recently resigned from captaincy from two formats and was sacked as an ODI skipper as Rohit Sharma has succeeded him across all forms of the game.

Every Indian captain, since the 2000s, has had unique qualities. Recently, former Indian opener Virender Sehwag compared the captaincy styles of Ganguly and Kohli and made a bold claim. Sehwag, who was also Dhoni's deputy for a long time, feels while Ganguly built a new team and backed players to the core, Kohli didn't do the same despite enjoying some good success in the skipper's role.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-virat-kohli-on-verge-of-achieving-major-milestone-as-rcb-face-gt-in-a-must-win-tie-480386">IPL 2022: Virat Kohli on verge of achieving major milestone as RCB face GT in a must-win tie</a>

“Sourav Ganguly built a new team, brought in new players and backed them through their highs and lows,” Sehwag told Sports 18. “I doubt if Kohli did that in his tenure.” He added, "In my opinion, the #1 captain is the one who builds a team and gives confidence to his players. He (Kohli) backed some players, some he did not."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nobody-would-remember-me-if-i-scored-tons-at-sachin-gangulys-pace-says-ex-indian-opener-virender-sehwag-479904">Nobody would remember me if I scored tons at Sachin, Ganguly's pace, says ex-Indian opener Virender Sehwag</a>

While Kohli's numbers as a captain across formats have been very good, he failed to take India to an ICC title during his tenure from 2017-to 2021. The onus now lies with Rohit to end India's ICC title drought&nbsp;since 2013.&nbsp;

Since the 2000s, Indian men's cricket has been blessed with some brilliant captains which have led to the national side's resounding success. While Sourav Ganguly had to start from scratch after taking over post the match-fixing saga, Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble did well for a brief period before MS Dhoni took over and later passed on the baton to Virat Kohli.

Since the 2000s, Indian men's cricket has been blessed with some brilliant captains which have led to the national side's resounding success. While Sourav Ganguly had to start from scratch after taking over post the match-fixing saga, Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble did well for a brief period before MS Dhoni took over and later passed on the baton to Virat Kohli. Kohli recently resigned from captaincy from two formats and was sacked as an ODI skipper as Rohit Sharma has succeeded him across all forms of the game. Every Indian captain, since the 2000s, has had unique qualities. Recently, former Indian opener Virender Sehwag compared the captaincy styles of Ganguly and Kohli and made a bold claim. Sehwag, who was also Dhoni's deputy for a long time, feels while Ganguly built a new team and backed players to the core, Kohli didn't do the same despite enjoying some good success in the skipper's role. ALSO READ | IPL 2022: Virat Kohli on verge of achieving major milestone as RCB face GT in a must-win tie “Sourav Ganguly built a new team, brought in new players and backed them through their highs and lows,” Sehwag told Sports 18. “I doubt if Kohli did that in his tenure.” He added, "In my opinion, the #1 captain is the one who builds a team and gives confidence to his players. He (Kohli) backed some players, some he did not." ALSO READ | Nobody would remember me if I scored tons at Sachin, Ganguly's pace, says ex-Indian opener Virender Sehwag While Kohli's numbers as a captain across formats have been very good, he failed to take India to an ICC title during his tenure from 2017-to 2021. The onus now lies with Rohit to end India's ICC title drought since 2013.

Sourav Ganguly built a new team, doubt if Virat Kohli did the same as captain, says Virender Sehwag

MS Dhoni-led India created history when they won the 2011 ODI World Cup as they became the first-ever host country to return with the elusive trophy and also end the country's 28-year-long title drought in the 50-over format.

En route to the title, Dhoni &amp; Co. defeated the likes of Australia, West Indies, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in the summit clash. India's only defeat came versus South Africa whereas they played a humdinger of a clash versus England in the league stage. Playing their second game of the tournament, at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, India faced the Andrew Strauss-led Poms in a high-scoring affair.

Batting first, India rode on Sachin Tendulkar's 120 and fifties from Gautam Gambhir-Yuvraj Singh to post 338 all-out in 49.5 overs. In reply, Strauss' 158 and Ian Bell's 69 ensured England were cruising at 281-2 before a lower-order collapse saw them end at 338/8 as the match ended in a tie.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/arif-malik-decided-to-invite-virat-kohli-not-me-kashmir-premier-leagues-director-rashid-latif-480177">Arif Malik decided to invite Virat Kohli, not me: Kashmir Premier League's Director Rashid Latif</a>

Recently, former English spinner Graeme Swann recalled the epic contest and shared an interesting story, where Indian captain Dhoni wasn't pleased with his fielders.

"We were cruising, we were all laughing and joking in the changing room. 'Hah, they are 20 runs short', 'Hah, look at how good we are'. Then all of a sudden, Mishra (Piyush Chawla) got a couple of wickets (of Jonathan Trott and Tim Bresnan). We got really bogged down then. And suddenly, we were never winning the game. And then, as it always happens in one-day cricket, it was down to bowlers to bail out the batsmen and try to win. So, we walked in. I hit Mishra (Chawla) for a six! I picked a googly and hit him for a six and it kind of got us back to the game.

“We still needed 14 runs to win. And Aj (Ajmal Shahzad) came in, and he's like, 'what's happening big lad?' I went, 'mate, let's just do our best'. And in his first ball, he smacked it straight over my head for a six. He's like, 'Oh my god, I can't believe that!'” Swann (chuckled) recalled in a video for&nbsp;cricket.com.

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“It was down to 4 needed off 2 balls. We scampered for two when it should've never been two. It wasn't a very happy MS Dhoni, I can assure you that. On the last ball, it was too full to get underneath and the extra cover dived and stopped it. We only got one,”&nbsp;Swann concluded.

Interestingly, Dhoni's first World Cup as captain -- both in T20I and ODI format -- saw him lead the side to the coveted title. In both the tournaments, i.e. the 2007 T20 WC&nbsp;and 2011's mega-event,&nbsp;one game each for India ended in a tie (versus Pakistan and England, respectively).

MS Dhoni-led India created history when they won the 2011 ODI World Cup as they became the first-ever host country to return with the elusive trophy and also end the country's 28-year-long title drought in the 50-over format.

MS Dhoni-led India created history when they won the 2011 ODI World Cup as they became the first-ever host country to return with the elusive trophy and also end the country's 28-year-long title drought in the 50-over format. En route to the title, Dhoni & Co. defeated the likes of Australia, West Indies, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in the summit clash. India's only defeat came versus South Africa whereas they played a humdinger of a clash versus England in the league stage. Playing their second game of the tournament, at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, India faced the Andrew Strauss-led Poms in a high-scoring affair. Batting first, India rode on Sachin Tendulkar's 120 and fifties from Gautam Gambhir-Yuvraj Singh to post 338 all-out in 49.5 overs. In reply, Strauss' 158 and Ian Bell's 69 ensured England were cruising at 281-2 before a lower-order collapse saw them end at 338/8 as the match ended in a tie. ALSO READ | Arif Malik decided to invite Virat Kohli, not me: Kashmir Premier League's Director Rashid Latif Recently, former English spinner Graeme Swann recalled the epic contest and shared an interesting story, where Indian captain Dhoni wasn't pleased with his fielders. "We were cruising, we were all laughing and joking in the changing room. 'Hah, they are 20 runs short', 'Hah, look at how good we are'. Then all of a sudden, Mishra (Piyush Chawla) got a couple of wickets (of Jonathan Trott and Tim Bresnan). We got really bogged down then. And suddenly, we were never winning the game. And then, as it always happens in one-day cricket, it was down to bowlers to bail out the batsmen and try to win. So, we walked in. I hit Mishra (Chawla) for a six! I picked a googly and hit him for a six and it kind of got us back to the game. “We still needed 14 runs to win. And Aj (Ajmal Shahzad) came in, and he's like, 'what's happening big lad?' I went, 'mate, let's just do our best'. And in his first ball, he smacked it straight over my head for a six. He's like, 'Oh my god, I can't believe that!'” Swann (chuckled) recalled in a video for cricket.com. ALSO READ | NCA chief VVS Laxman likely to don head coach's hat for SA, Ireland series in Rahul Dravid's absence: Report “It was down to 4 needed off 2 balls. We scampered for two when it should've never been two. It wasn't a very happy MS Dhoni, I can assure you that. On the last ball, it was too full to get underneath and the extra cover dived and stopped it. We only got one,” Swann concluded. Interestingly, Dhoni's first World Cup as captain -- both in T20I and ODI format -- saw him lead the side to the coveted title. In both the tournaments, i.e. the 2007 T20 WC and 2011's mega-event, one game each for India ended in a tie (versus Pakistan and England, respectively).

'It wasn't a very happy MS Dhoni' - Graeme Swann recalls final moments from epic India-England CWC'11 tie

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have endured a disappointing campaign in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 as they find themselves reeling at the 9th spot on the points table having already been knocked out of the race for the playoffs. CSK lost four games in a row at the start of the season and failed to recover ever since as they became the second team after Mumbai Indians to bow out of the tournament this year.

CSK started the season with star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja as captain of the side as MS Dhoni decided to step down from captaincy. They also missed the services of pacer Deepak Chahar, who has been one of the key players for the franchise and was their most expensive buy at the IPL 2022 mega auction.

With no Chahar in the squad, CSK's bowling attack struggled to deliver as Jadeja's captaincy stint got off to the worst possible start. After managing to lead the side to just two wins in 8 matches, Jadeja decided to hand back the reins to Dhoni leaving captaincy midway through the season.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-responds-to-fans-heartfelt-letter-amid-chennai-super-kings-disappointing-run-in-ipl-2022-479930">MS Dhoni responds to fan's heartfelt letter amid Chennai Super Kings' disappointing run in IPL 2022</a>

While the results and team's confidence did improve with Dhoni taking the charge once again, it was not enough to propel CSK into the playoffs. Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has now claimed CSK would have failed to qualify for the playoffs even if Dhoni had captained right from the start of the season.

Harbhajan believes without Chahar, CSK didn't have a team which could have challenged for a spot in the top four and that their fate would have remained the same even if Dhoni had not handed over the captaincy to Jadeja before the start of the season.

"Had Dhoni remained the captain of the team, CSK would benefit indeed, and would have sitting at a higher position in the points table, but they still wouldn't have qualified because they don't have the team. They don't have a strong bowling unit. Deepak Chahar, who was a wicket-taking bowler, was injured. Even the batters didn't play that well," Harbhajan said on Sportskeeda.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/central-contract-straightaway-ravi-shastri-wants-bcci-to-fastrack-srh-pacer-umran-malik-into-team-india-480028">'Central contract straightaway': Ravi Shastri wants BCCI to fast-track&nbsp;Umran Malik into Team India</a>

However, Harbhajan insisted CSK might have qualified for the playoffs even with their current squad had the tournament being played across India. The former CSK spinner said Dhoni &amp; Co. play differently in Chennai and the home advantage could have made a difference for them.

"It [playing in Chennai] would have made a huge difference. Chennai would have definitely qualified for playoffs even with this team. Because when they play at home, they play differently. Delhi and Mumbai too have been strong in home conditions,” Harbhajan said.

&nbsp;

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have endured a disappointing campaign in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 as they find themselves reeling at the 9th spot on the points table having already been knocked out of the race for the playoffs.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have endured a disappointing campaign in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 as they find themselves reeling at the 9th spot on the points table having already been knocked out of the race for the playoffs. CSK lost four games in a row at the start of the season and failed to recover ever since as they became the second team after Mumbai Indians to bow out of the tournament this year. CSK started the season with star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja as captain of the side as MS Dhoni decided to step down from captaincy. They also missed the services of pacer Deepak Chahar, who has been one of the key players for the franchise and was their most expensive buy at the IPL 2022 mega auction. With no Chahar in the squad, CSK's bowling attack struggled to deliver as Jadeja's captaincy stint got off to the worst possible start. After managing to lead the side to just two wins in 8 matches, Jadeja decided to hand back the reins to Dhoni leaving captaincy midway through the season. Also Read: MS Dhoni responds to fan's heartfelt letter amid Chennai Super Kings' disappointing run in IPL 2022 While the results and team's confidence did improve with Dhoni taking the charge once again, it was not enough to propel CSK into the playoffs. Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has now claimed CSK would have failed to qualify for the playoffs even if Dhoni had captained right from the start of the season. Harbhajan believes without Chahar, CSK didn't have a team which could have challenged for a spot in the top four and that their fate would have remained the same even if Dhoni had not handed over the captaincy to Jadeja before the start of the season. "Had Dhoni remained the captain of the team, CSK would benefit indeed, and would have sitting at a higher position in the points table, but they still wouldn't have qualified because they don't have the team. They don't have a strong bowling unit. Deepak Chahar, who was a wicket-taking bowler, was injured. Even the batters didn't play that well," Harbhajan said on Sportskeeda. Also Read: 'Central contract straightaway': Ravi Shastri wants BCCI to fast-track Umran Malik into Team India However, Harbhajan insisted CSK might have qualified for the playoffs even with their current squad had the tournament being played across India. The former CSK spinner said Dhoni & Co. play differently in Chennai and the home advantage could have made a difference for them. "It [playing in Chennai] would have made a huge difference. Chennai would have definitely qualified for playoffs even with this team. Because when they play at home, they play differently. Delhi and Mumbai too have been strong in home conditions,” Harbhajan said.

CSK still wouldn't have qualified for IPL 2022 playoffs had MS Dhoni remained captain: Harbhajan Singh

MS Dhoni responded to a heartfelt letter from a Chennai Super Kings (CSK) fan amid the franchise's horrific run in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. Dhoni-led CSK are out of the race for playoffs already and have just one game remaining in the season. CSK were knocked out of the tournament after a disappointing five-wicket loss against arch-rivals Mumbai Indians last week.

One of the most successful franchises in the league, CSK had headed into the tournament as one of the favourites having lifted their fourth IPL title last season. However, it turned out to be a forgetful season for the defending champions, who witnesses a massive change ahead of the start of the season as star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was appointed as captain of the side.

While CSK were expected to get off to a good start, they ended up losing their first four games in a row under Jadeja before bagging their first win of the tournament against RCB. After leading CSK to only two wins in their first eight games, Jadeja decided to step down as captain and handed over the reins back to Dhoni.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/focus-on-batting-harbhajan-singh-urges-kane-williamson-to-step-down-as-srh-captain-amid-teams-poor-run-479903">'Focus on batting': Harbhajan Singh urges Williamson to step down as SRH captain amid team's poor run</a>

While results did improve slightly under Dhoni, it was too late for a turnaround for CSK as they ended up becoming the second team after Mumbai Indians to bow out of the tournament. A fan wrote a heartfelt letter to Dhoni expressing his gratitude to the CSK captain and explaining how he always left him in awe with his leadership qualities.

Dhoni responded to the letter from the fan and wrote - "Well Written. Best Wishes". He also signed the letter which was shared by CSK on social media. "Words from the heart framed for life &amp; signed with love," CSK captioned the post.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Words from the framed for life &amp; 
signed with 7⃣ove!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SuperFans?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SuperFans</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WhistlePodu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WhistlePodu</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Yellove?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Yellove</a> <a href="https://t.co/cpYgyTxBOI">pic.twitter.com/cpYgyTxBOI</a>
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL/status/1526520776345542656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2022</a></blockquote>
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While CSK have struggled so far this season, Dhoni's personal form has come as a breath of fresh air for CSK fans as the veteran wicket-keeper batter has managed to roll back years with some of his performances. Despite being 40, Dhoni has fired with the bat and has scored 206 runs at an average of over 34.

&nbsp;

MS Dhoni responded to a heartfelt letter from a Chennai Super Kings (CSK) fan amid the franchise's horrific run in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. Dhoni-led CSK are out of the race for playoffs already and have just one game remaining in the season.

MS Dhoni responded to a heartfelt letter from a Chennai Super Kings (CSK) fan amid the franchise's horrific run in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. Dhoni-led CSK are out of the race for playoffs already and have just one game remaining in the season. CSK were knocked out of the tournament after a disappointing five-wicket loss against arch-rivals Mumbai Indians last week. One of the most successful franchises in the league, CSK had headed into the tournament as one of the favourites having lifted their fourth IPL title last season. However, it turned out to be a forgetful season for the defending champions, who witnesses a massive change ahead of the start of the season as star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was appointed as captain of the side. While CSK were expected to get off to a good start, they ended up losing their first four games in a row under Jadeja before bagging their first win of the tournament against RCB. After leading CSK to only two wins in their first eight games, Jadeja decided to step down as captain and handed over the reins back to Dhoni. Also Read: 'Focus on batting': Harbhajan Singh urges Williamson to step down as SRH captain amid team's poor run While results did improve slightly under Dhoni, it was too late for a turnaround for CSK as they ended up becoming the second team after Mumbai Indians to bow out of the tournament. A fan wrote a heartfelt letter to Dhoni expressing his gratitude to the CSK captain and explaining how he always left him in awe with his leadership qualities. Dhoni responded to the letter from the fan and wrote - "Well Written. Best Wishes". He also signed the letter which was shared by CSK on social media. "Words from the heart framed for life & signed with love," CSK captioned the post. Words from the framed for life & signed with 7⃣ove!#SuperFans #WhistlePodu #Yellove pic.twitter.com/cpYgyTxBOI — Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) May 17, 2022 × While CSK have struggled so far this season, Dhoni's personal form has come as a breath of fresh air for CSK fans as the veteran wicket-keeper batter has managed to roll back years with some of his performances. Despite being 40, Dhoni has fired with the bat and has scored 206 runs at an average of over 34.

MS Dhoni responds to fan's heartfelt letter amid Chennai Super Kings' disappointing run in IPL 2022

IPL 2022 edition has seen many young and uncapped players make a mark. Among the Indian players, the likes of Umran Malik, Mohsin Khan, Arshdeep Singh, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Verma and many others have made a mark for their respective franchises.

During Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Delhi Capitals (DC) encounter, which was match no. 64 in IPL 15, Arshdeep was the lone shining aspect for Punjab in their 17-run loss at the hands of Rishabh Pant &amp; Co. While he was a bit expensive, the 23-year-old still ended with 4-0-37-3, removing the likes of Lalit Yadav, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Shardul Thakur.&nbsp;

In his fourth IPL season, Arshdeep might not have a lot of wickets to show, he still has 10 scalps in 13 games at an economy rate of&nbsp;7.82.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-was-on-fire-bowling-that-one-over-shattered-me-watson-rues-rcbs-missed-opportunity-in-ipl-2016-final-479849">Virat was on fire, bowling that one over shattered me: Watson rues RCB's missed opportunity in IPL 2016 final</a>

Thus, former Indian pacer Irfan Pathan hailed Arshdeep for keeping some big hitters like MS Dhoni, Hardik Pandya, etc. quiet during the end overs and leading the bowling attack despite Kagiso Rabada's presence.

"Arshdeep is a special player. He is young, confident and accurate. All these qualities distinguish him from the bowlers of his age,” said former India fast bowler Irfan Pathan on Star Sports.&nbsp;"He's keeping big players like MS Dhoni, Hardik Pandya or someone else silent in the death overs and that speaks volumes about the kind of talent he possesses," he opined

"His growth has been phenomenal. Despite the presence of a proven international pacer in Kagiso Rabada, an uncapped Indian seamer is getting the recognition proves how good a talent he is. He's going to be the next big thing for Punjab Kings," Irfan added.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kashmir-premier-league-to-formally-invite-indian-star-virat-kohli-to-feature-in-2nd-edition-report-479784">Kashmir Premier League to formally invite Indian star Virat Kohli to feature in 2nd edition: Report</a>

Despite Arshdeep bowling some tough overs, such as in the powerplays and the death overs, the youngster has impressed with his variations, change of pace and a calm and composed head under pressure situations. Surely, Punjab has been repaid for retaining the uncapped Indian player prior to the IPL 2022 season.

IPL 2022 edition has seen many young and uncapped players make a mark. Among the Indian players, the likes of Umran Malik, Mohsin Khan, Arshdeep Singh, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Verma and many others have made a mark for their respective franchises.

IPL 2022 edition has seen many young and uncapped players make a mark. Among the Indian players, the likes of Umran Malik, Mohsin Khan, Arshdeep Singh, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Verma and many others have made a mark for their respective franchises. During Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Delhi Capitals (DC) encounter, which was match no. 64 in IPL 15, Arshdeep was the lone shining aspect for Punjab in their 17-run loss at the hands of Rishabh Pant & Co. While he was a bit expensive, the 23-year-old still ended with 4-0-37-3, removing the likes of Lalit Yadav, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Shardul Thakur. In his fourth IPL season, Arshdeep might not have a lot of wickets to show, he still has 10 scalps in 13 games at an economy rate of 7.82. ALSO READ | Virat was on fire, bowling that one over shattered me: Watson rues RCB's missed opportunity in IPL 2016 final Thus, former Indian pacer Irfan Pathan hailed Arshdeep for keeping some big hitters like MS Dhoni, Hardik Pandya, etc. quiet during the end overs and leading the bowling attack despite Kagiso Rabada's presence. "Arshdeep is a special player. He is young, confident and accurate. All these qualities distinguish him from the bowlers of his age,” said former India fast bowler Irfan Pathan on Star Sports. "He's keeping big players like MS Dhoni, Hardik Pandya or someone else silent in the death overs and that speaks volumes about the kind of talent he possesses," he opined "His growth has been phenomenal. Despite the presence of a proven international pacer in Kagiso Rabada, an uncapped Indian seamer is getting the recognition proves how good a talent he is. He's going to be the next big thing for Punjab Kings," Irfan added. ALSO READ | Kashmir Premier League to formally invite Indian star Virat Kohli to feature in 2nd edition: Report Despite Arshdeep bowling some tough overs, such as in the powerplays and the death overs, the youngster has impressed with his variations, change of pace and a calm and composed head under pressure situations. Surely, Punjab has been repaid for retaining the uncapped Indian player prior to the IPL 2022 season.

'He's keeping big players like MS Dhoni, Hardik Pandya quiet' - Irfan lavishes praise on uncapped India pacer

MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) IPL 2022 campaign has gone from bad to worse. After Ravindra Jadeja led them in the first eight games, the defending champions and four-time winners managed only two wins to start off on a poor note. While Dhoni took over the captaincy from Jadeja in the second half of their campaign, they have lost three and won only two games.

On Sunday (May 15), the CSK franchise locked horns with Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans (GT) in the reverse fixture at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Batting first, CSK managed only 133-5 and failed to defend the total as they lost by 7 wickets in the final over. With yet another defeat, the Yellow Army have achieved a new low. They lost their ninth game in the season, which is the most for them in any edition.&nbsp;

After the loss, Dhoni said at the post-match presentation,"To start off, batting first wasn't a really good idea. The fast bowlers ball wasn't coming on. That's why the batsmen found it tough to hit. The second half it got slightly better. Spinners I felt both halves it was pretty even. Bit more runs in the middle overs would have been good."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-updated-points-table-after-rajasthan-royals-beat-lucknow-super-giants-by-24-runs-479248">IPL 2022: Updated points table after Rajasthan Royals beat Lucknow Super Giants by 24 runs</a>

With another loss, CSK are also starring on the brink of attaining another unwanted feat. At present, Dhoni &amp; Co. have 4 wins from 13 games and will play the one-time winners Rajasthan Royals (RR) on May 20 (Friday). On the other hand, Mumbai Indians (MI) occupy the bottom spot, just below CSK, with 3 victories from 12 games. Nonetheless, if MI win both their remaining fixtures, they can still avoid the wooden spoon as CSK might slip below MI if they go down to RR.&nbsp;

MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) IPL 2022 campaign has gone from bad to worse. After Ravindra Jadeja led them in the first eight games, the defending champions and four-time winners managed only two wins to start off on a poor note.

MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) IPL 2022 campaign has gone from bad to worse. After Ravindra Jadeja led them in the first eight games, the defending champions and four-time winners managed only two wins to start off on a poor note. While Dhoni took over the captaincy from Jadeja in the second half of their campaign, they have lost three and won only two games. On Sunday (May 15), the CSK franchise locked horns with Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans (GT) in the reverse fixture at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Batting first, CSK managed only 133-5 and failed to defend the total as they lost by 7 wickets in the final over. With yet another defeat, the Yellow Army have achieved a new low. They lost their ninth game in the season, which is the most for them in any edition. After the loss, Dhoni said at the post-match presentation,"To start off, batting first wasn't a really good idea. The fast bowlers ball wasn't coming on. That's why the batsmen found it tough to hit. The second half it got slightly better. Spinners I felt both halves it was pretty even. Bit more runs in the middle overs would have been good." ALSO READ | IPL 2022: Updated points table after Rajasthan Royals beat Lucknow Super Giants by 24 runs With another loss, CSK are also starring on the brink of attaining another unwanted feat. At present, Dhoni & Co. have 4 wins from 13 games and will play the one-time winners Rajasthan Royals (RR) on May 20 (Friday). On the other hand, Mumbai Indians (MI) occupy the bottom spot, just below CSK, with 3 victories from 12 games. Nonetheless, if MI win both their remaining fixtures, they can still avoid the wooden spoon as CSK might slip below MI if they go down to RR.

IPL 2022: MS Dhoni's CSK achieves new low after GT defeat, on cusp of finishing bottom of the table

Former Australia spinner Brad Hogg has heaped praise on Hardik Pandya for his excellent captaincy stint with Gujarat Titans (GT) so far in their debut campaign in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. Hogg believes Hardik has shown traits similar to MS Dhoni while leading Gujarat Titans so far this season.

Hardik's GT have been enjoying a stellar debut campaign in IPL 2022 as they currently sit on top of the points table with 18 points from 12 matches so far this season. Gujarat are also the first and only team so far this season to have secured a berth in the playoffs.

Not many had expected Gujarat Titans to have come this far in the tournament this season after the conclusion of the IPL 2022 mega auction earlier this year. While they do not have one of the most balanced squads, several players have stepped up for the side throughout the season and have won matches single-handedly for the team.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-ravindra-jadeja-virender-sehwag-names-csk-player-who-can-replace-ms-dhoni-as-captain-478855">Not Ravindra Jadeja! Virender Sehwag names CSK player who can replace MS Dhoni as captain</a>

Lauding Hardik for his terrific leadership, Hogg highlighted how the Gujarat Titans skipper has shown traits like calmness and composure similar to that of Dhoni. The former Australia spinner also reckoned Hardik has managed to get the best out of his players just like Dhoni has been doing over the years at CSK.

"We look at the MS Dhoni components to his game style: Calmness, not getting overboard by the situation, and changing his body reactions to any situations when they're under pressure. He's still cool, calm, collected, and composed. He talks to his players to make sure they've got a clear mind of what they want to execute next under pressure," said Hogg while talking about Hardik in a video on his YouTube channel.

"He's calming everything down. He knows the end result, he's not reacting quickly to certain situations. And when he makes changes, they are precise changes, and they have been game-changing moments. and that is MS Dhoni," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ambati-rayudu-not-retiring-from-ipl-says-csk-ceo-after-star-batter-deletes-retirement-tweet-478850">Ambati Rayudu not retiring from IPL, says CSK CEO after star batter deletes retirement tweet</a>

This is Hardik's first season as captain in the IPL after he was roped in by Gujarat Titans ahead of the new season post being released by his former side Mumbai Indians. Hardik had only played for Mumbai Indians before joining GT and played an instrumental role in MI's success with his all-round performances.

While he has been brilliant as a leader, Hardik has also led from the front with the bat for the debutants. He has so far managed 344 runs in 11 matches for his team at an average of&nbsp;38.22 and a strike rate of over 131. Gujarat Titans are currently on top of the table and will be hoping to secure a spot in the top two with two games still in hand.

Former Australia spinner Brad Hogg has heaped praise on Hardik Pandya for his excellent captaincy stint with Gujarat Titans (GT) so far in their debut campaign in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022.

Former Australia spinner Brad Hogg has heaped praise on Hardik Pandya for his excellent captaincy stint with Gujarat Titans (GT) so far in their debut campaign in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. Hogg believes Hardik has shown traits similar to MS Dhoni while leading Gujarat Titans so far this season. Hardik's GT have been enjoying a stellar debut campaign in IPL 2022 as they currently sit on top of the points table with 18 points from 12 matches so far this season. Gujarat are also the first and only team so far this season to have secured a berth in the playoffs. Not many had expected Gujarat Titans to have come this far in the tournament this season after the conclusion of the IPL 2022 mega auction earlier this year. While they do not have one of the most balanced squads, several players have stepped up for the side throughout the season and have won matches single-handedly for the team. Also Read: Not Ravindra Jadeja! Virender Sehwag names CSK player who can replace MS Dhoni as captain Lauding Hardik for his terrific leadership, Hogg highlighted how the Gujarat Titans skipper has shown traits like calmness and composure similar to that of Dhoni. The former Australia spinner also reckoned Hardik has managed to get the best out of his players just like Dhoni has been doing over the years at CSK. "We look at the MS Dhoni components to his game style: Calmness, not getting overboard by the situation, and changing his body reactions to any situations when they're under pressure. He's still cool, calm, collected, and composed. He talks to his players to make sure they've got a clear mind of what they want to execute next under pressure," said Hogg while talking about Hardik in a video on his YouTube channel. "He's calming everything down. He knows the end result, he's not reacting quickly to certain situations. And when he makes changes, they are precise changes, and they have been game-changing moments. and that is MS Dhoni," he added. Also Read: Ambati Rayudu not retiring from IPL, says CSK CEO after star batter deletes retirement tweet This is Hardik's first season as captain in the IPL after he was roped in by Gujarat Titans ahead of the new season post being released by his former side Mumbai Indians. Hardik had only played for Mumbai Indians before joining GT and played an instrumental role in MI's success with his all-round performances. While he has been brilliant as a leader, Hardik has also led from the front with the bat for the debutants. He has so far managed 344 runs in 11 matches for his team at an average of 38.22 and a strike rate of over 131. Gujarat Titans are currently on top of the table and will be hoping to secure a spot in the top two with two games still in hand.

'He is cool, calm and collected': Brad Hogg picks new IPL captain who has traits like MS Dhoni

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) were looking at a fresh start ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 when MS Dhoni decided to hand over the captaincy baton to Ravindra Jadeja. However, the star all-rounder failed to inspire the defending champions to a good start as they managed only two wins in their first eight games of the season.

Jadeja decided to step down as captain after CSK's disastrous start to their campaign and handed over the reins back to Dhoni. With Jadeja giving up the role, it looks unlikely that he would be re-appointed as the captain of the franchise and CSK will have to once again start looking at potential replacements for Dhoni as captain before he retires.

At 40, Dhoni still remains one of the vital cogs in the CSK batting line-up and is one of the best captains going around. However, he is already past his best and will soon have to take a call on hanging his boots from IPL having already retired from international cricket in 2020.

Former India opener Virender Sehwag has picked one player from CSK's current squad who he feels can be a long-term replacement for Dhoni as CSK captain. Sehwag believes young Ruturaj Gaikwad has similar qualities like Dhoni and can be groomed as CSK's next captain.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-is-getting-dismissed-every-single-way-that-you-can-possibly-get-out-faf-du-plessis-478831">Virat Kohli is getting dismissed every single way that you can possibly get out: Faf du Plessis</a>

Sehwag also pointed out Gaikwad leads his state side &nbsp;Maharashtra in the domestic circuit and has similar qualities to Dhoni. Gaikwad was one of the four players retained by CSK ahead of IPL 2022 after his stunning campaign last year where he finished as the highest run-getter and bagged the Orange Cap.

"He (Ruturaj Gaikwad) captains Maharashtra. He plays very quietly. It's like even if he scored a century, it won't show in his mannerisms. Even if he scores a 0, you will see the same demeanour. It doesn't appear from his face if he is happy about scoring a hundred or sad about getting out for a duck. He has control, he is calm. He has all the qualities needed to be a good captain," Sehwag said on Cricbuzz.

He is captaining in First-Class cricket so he has an idea how to dictate a match. Who is to be given the ball, what needs to change in the batting order… he has the idea," he added.

Sehwag believes Gaikwad can be an ideal captaincy candidate for CSK once Dhoni decided to hang his boots. The young opener had joined CSK in 2018 and had to wait for his opportunities. He made his debut for CSK in the year 2020 and announced his arrival in style after a few initial hiccups.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ambati-rayudu-not-retiring-from-ipl-says-csk-ceo-after-star-batter-deletes-retirement-tweet-478850">Ambati Rayudu not retiring from IPL, says CSK CEO after star batter deletes retirement tweet</a>

After failing in his first couple of matches, Gaikwad went on to notch up three fifties and ended up scoring 204 runs in just 6 games for the four-time champions. He followed it up with a magnificent season last year where he amassed 635 runs in 16 matches. Sehwag believes Gaikwad has all the qualities it takes to be a good captain like Dhoni.

"Anyone can have one good season, but if he plays 3-4 more seasons, he will become a captain who can become a long-term captain after MS Dhoni. Why does the world consider MS Dhoni a good captain? Because he is cool, takes his own decision and uses his bowlers and batters well He also has the luck factor," said Sehwag.

"Luck favour those who are brave and MS Dhoni is a brave captain. He has all the qualities of MS Dhoni, except one. I'm not sure about the luck factor," he added.

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Chennai Super Kings (CSK) were looking at a fresh start ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 when MS Dhoni decided to hand over the captaincy baton to Ravindra Jadeja.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) were looking at a fresh start ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 when MS Dhoni decided to hand over the captaincy baton to Ravindra Jadeja. However, the star all-rounder failed to inspire the defending champions to a good start as they managed only two wins in their first eight games of the season. Jadeja decided to step down as captain after CSK's disastrous start to their campaign and handed over the reins back to Dhoni. With Jadeja giving up the role, it looks unlikely that he would be re-appointed as the captain of the franchise and CSK will have to once again start looking at potential replacements for Dhoni as captain before he retires. At 40, Dhoni still remains one of the vital cogs in the CSK batting line-up and is one of the best captains going around. However, he is already past his best and will soon have to take a call on hanging his boots from IPL having already retired from international cricket in 2020. Former India opener Virender Sehwag has picked one player from CSK's current squad who he feels can be a long-term replacement for Dhoni as CSK captain. Sehwag believes young Ruturaj Gaikwad has similar qualities like Dhoni and can be groomed as CSK's next captain. Also Read: Virat Kohli is getting dismissed every single way that you can possibly get out: Faf du Plessis Sehwag also pointed out Gaikwad leads his state side Maharashtra in the domestic circuit and has similar qualities to Dhoni. Gaikwad was one of the four players retained by CSK ahead of IPL 2022 after his stunning campaign last year where he finished as the highest run-getter and bagged the Orange Cap. "He (Ruturaj Gaikwad) captains Maharashtra. He plays very quietly. It's like even if he scored a century, it won't show in his mannerisms. Even if he scores a 0, you will see the same demeanour. It doesn't appear from his face if he is happy about scoring a hundred or sad about getting out for a duck. He has control, he is calm. He has all the qualities needed to be a good captain," Sehwag said on Cricbuzz. He is captaining in First-Class cricket so he has an idea how to dictate a match. Who is to be given the ball, what needs to change in the batting order… he has the idea," he added. Sehwag believes Gaikwad can be an ideal captaincy candidate for CSK once Dhoni decided to hang his boots. The young opener had joined CSK in 2018 and had to wait for his opportunities. He made his debut for CSK in the year 2020 and announced his arrival in style after a few initial hiccups. Also Read: Ambati Rayudu not retiring from IPL, says CSK CEO after star batter deletes retirement tweet After failing in his first couple of matches, Gaikwad went on to notch up three fifties and ended up scoring 204 runs in just 6 games for the four-time champions. He followed it up with a magnificent season last year where he amassed 635 runs in 16 matches. Sehwag believes Gaikwad has all the qualities it takes to be a good captain like Dhoni. "Anyone can have one good season, but if he plays 3-4 more seasons, he will become a captain who can become a long-term captain after MS Dhoni. Why does the world consider MS Dhoni a good captain? Because he is cool, takes his own decision and uses his bowlers and batters well He also has the luck factor," said Sehwag. "Luck favour those who are brave and MS Dhoni is a brave captain. He has all the qualities of MS Dhoni, except one. I'm not sure about the luck factor," he added.

Not Ravindra Jadeja! Virender Sehwag names CSK player who can replace MS Dhoni as captain

When MS Dhoni gave up Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) captaincy ahead of IPL 2022 edition, many felt that this year's edition would be his last season in the yellow jersey. Nonetheless, he was reappointed as the Chennai captain after all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja relinquished the top post following&nbsp;eight games, managing&nbsp;only two wins.

While the 40-year-old Dhoni is far from his prime, he is still contributing to the four-time winners CSK. The last two seasons were below-par for Dhoni with the bat, however, he made amends as a captain-keeper. This time around, he has managed to instill the competitive spirit in the CSK camp after being reappointed as the captain whereas the veteran&nbsp;has also shown some brilliance with the bat. So far, he has amassed 199 runs in 12 games at a strike rate of 132.66 and an average of 39.80.

Amid all this, Little Master Sunil Gavaskar was recently asked about Dhoni's IPL future. To this, Gavaskar used the CSK skipper's popular catchphrase and responded in a brilliant manner.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-playoffs-qualification-scenario-explained-heres-how-7-teams-remain-in-fray-for-3-spots-478603">IPL 2022 playoffs qualification scenario: EXPLAINED! Here's how 7 teams remain in fray for 3 spots</a>

"Well, I mean, look at the way he has played. He is clearly showing he is very keen, still enthusiastic about the game," Gavaskar told in a chat on&nbsp;Star Sports after CSK lost to Mumbai Indians (MI) on Thursday (May 12) in match 59.

"On the field, it was quite telling today. He was running from one end to the other end, which means he was keen. He senses an opportunity when those 2 or 3 early wickets fell. We have seen him doing this very regularly. Which means 'definitely not'. Yes (he will continue), that is exactly what he said when he was asked about it (in 2020)," he added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/csk-vs-mi-97-all-out-ms-dhoni-co-succumb-to-a-new-low-register-their-2nd-lowest-ipl-total-478441">CSK vs MI: 97 all-out! MS Dhoni &amp; Co. succumb to a new low, register their 2nd lowest IPL total</a>

When CSK were eliminated from the playoffs race in IPL 2020 with few games in hand, Dhoni was asked about his IPL future by Danny Marrison at the toss&nbsp;versus Punjab Kings (PBKS). To this, Dhoni had used the phrase 'definitely not', indicating that he is going nowhere. Even after he was reappointed as captain this time, he was asked the same question. This time around, he had responded by saying: "You will definitely see me in the yellow jersey [next year], whether this yellow jersey or some other yellow jersey, that's a different thing."

While Dhoni is one who keeps his cards close to his chest, speculations on his IPL future will continue until there is any confirmation from his end.

At present, CSK lost to MI by five wickets on Thursday evening to bow out of the playoffs race in IPL 15.

When MS Dhoni gave up Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) captaincy ahead of IPL 2022 edition, many felt that this year's edition would be his last season in the yellow jersey.

When MS Dhoni gave up Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) captaincy ahead of IPL 2022 edition, many felt that this year's edition would be his last season in the yellow jersey. Nonetheless, he was reappointed as the Chennai captain after all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja relinquished the top post following eight games, managing only two wins. While the 40-year-old Dhoni is far from his prime, he is still contributing to the four-time winners CSK. The last two seasons were below-par for Dhoni with the bat, however, he made amends as a captain-keeper. This time around, he has managed to instill the competitive spirit in the CSK camp after being reappointed as the captain whereas the veteran has also shown some brilliance with the bat. So far, he has amassed 199 runs in 12 games at a strike rate of 132.66 and an average of 39.80. Amid all this, Little Master Sunil Gavaskar was recently asked about Dhoni's IPL future. To this, Gavaskar used the CSK skipper's popular catchphrase and responded in a brilliant manner. ALSO READ | IPL 2022 playoffs qualification scenario: EXPLAINED! Here's how 7 teams remain in fray for 3 spots "Well, I mean, look at the way he has played. He is clearly showing he is very keen, still enthusiastic about the game," Gavaskar told in a chat on Star Sports after CSK lost to Mumbai Indians (MI) on Thursday (May 12) in match 59. "On the field, it was quite telling today. He was running from one end to the other end, which means he was keen. He senses an opportunity when those 2 or 3 early wickets fell. We have seen him doing this very regularly. Which means 'definitely not'. Yes (he will continue), that is exactly what he said when he was asked about it (in 2020)," he added. ALSO READ | CSK vs MI: 97 all-out! MS Dhoni & Co. succumb to a new low, register their 2nd lowest IPL total When CSK were eliminated from the playoffs race in IPL 2020 with few games in hand, Dhoni was asked about his IPL future by Danny Marrison at the toss versus Punjab Kings (PBKS). To this, Dhoni had used the phrase 'definitely not', indicating that he is going nowhere. Even after he was reappointed as captain this time, he was asked the same question. This time around, he had responded by saying: "You will definitely see me in the yellow jersey [next year], whether this yellow jersey or some other yellow jersey, that's a different thing." While Dhoni is one who keeps his cards close to his chest, speculations on his IPL future will continue until there is any confirmation from his end. At present, CSK lost to MI by five wickets on Thursday evening to bow out of the playoffs race in IPL 15.

Sunil Gavaskar resorts to MS Dhoni's famous catchphrase when asked about CSK skipper's IPL future

MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have locked horns with their arch-rivals and bottom-ranked Mumbai Indians (MI) in match 59 of IPL 2022 edition, on Thursday evening (May 12), at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. In a must-win clash for the defending champions and four-time winners, nothing has clicked for them including the coin toss.

After being asked to bat first, CSK paid the price for both teams not having the DRS available to them due to power cut at the iconic stadium. As a result, Devon Conway, in the in-form opener, was wrongly adjudged lbw and Chennai never recovered from thereon. They were 29-5 and managed to reach close to the three-figure mark due to MS Dhoni's 33-ball 36*. Chennai eventually folded for a paltry 97 in 17 overs (rocked by Daniels Sams' 3 for 16 and two scalps each from Riley Meredith-Kumar Kartikeya) to succumb to a new low in what has been a forgettable season for them.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/csk-vs-mi-explained-heres-why-both-teams-were-deprived-of-drs-during-first-10-balls-of-the-contest-478426">CSK vs MI: EXPLAINED! Here's why both teams were deprived of DRS during first 10 balls of the contest</a>

Thus, this became CSK's second-lowest total in IPL (both coming versus MI at the same venue).

Low totals for CSK in IPL

79 MI Wankhede Stadium 2013 
97 MI Wankhede Stadium 2022* 
109 RR Jaipur 2008 
109 MI Chepauk 2019

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ravindra-jadeja-might-not-be-with-csk-in-ipl-2023-says-ex-indian-opener-amid-rift-rumours-478419">Ravindra Jadeja might not be with CSK in IPL 2023, says ex-Indian opener amid rift rumours</a>

CSK had to win the game anyhow, that too by a big margin, to keep their playoff hopes alive. After their dismal run in the first half of the encounter, they are down and out and heading towards an early exit in their title-defence campaign.

MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have locked horns with their arch-rivals and bottom-ranked Mumbai Indians (MI) in match 59 of IPL 2022 edition, on Thursday evening (May 12), at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.

MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have locked horns with their arch-rivals and bottom-ranked Mumbai Indians (MI) in match 59 of IPL 2022 edition, on Thursday evening (May 12), at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. In a must-win clash for the defending champions and four-time winners, nothing has clicked for them including the coin toss. After being asked to bat first, CSK paid the price for both teams not having the DRS available to them due to power cut at the iconic stadium. As a result, Devon Conway, in the in-form opener, was wrongly adjudged lbw and Chennai never recovered from thereon. They were 29-5 and managed to reach close to the three-figure mark due to MS Dhoni's 33-ball 36*. Chennai eventually folded for a paltry 97 in 17 overs (rocked by Daniels Sams' 3 for 16 and two scalps each from Riley Meredith-Kumar Kartikeya) to succumb to a new low in what has been a forgettable season for them. ALSO READ | CSK vs MI: EXPLAINED! Here's why both teams were deprived of DRS during first 10 balls of the contest Thus, this became CSK's second-lowest total in IPL (both coming versus MI at the same venue). Low totals for CSK in IPL 79 MI Wankhede Stadium 2013 97 MI Wankhede Stadium 2022* 109 RR Jaipur 2008 109 MI Chepauk 2019 ALSO READ | Ravindra Jadeja might not be with CSK in IPL 2023, says ex-Indian opener amid rift rumours CSK had to win the game anyhow, that too by a big margin, to keep their playoff hopes alive. After their dismal run in the first half of the encounter, they are down and out and heading towards an early exit in their title-defence campaign.

CSK vs MI: 97 all-out! MS Dhoni & Co. succumb to a new low, register their 2nd lowest IPL total

Match 59 of the IPL 2022 edition saw the arch-rivals and bottom-lying Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) take on each other at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Thursday evening (May 12). The match presented another opportunity for the five-time winners and already-eliminated Rohit Sharma-led MI franchise to add another two points in their kitty whereas it was a must-win clash for MS Dhoni's CSK.

Being alive in the playoffs race by the barest of margins, Chennai couldn't afford to let loose. However, nothing clicked for the defending champions and four-time winners as they conceded the game by 5 wickets. Being asked to bat first, amid power cut issues, CSK were off to a horrible start and soon reduced to 29-5 courtesy Daniel Sams' three quick strikes. Their top-order players couldn't even take the help of the DRS in the first ten deliveries due to the power cut. Barring Dhoni's 36*, no one stood tall as CSK folded for their second-lowest IPL total (97).

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/csk-vs-mi-97-all-out-ms-dhoni-co-succumb-to-a-new-low-register-their-2nd-lowest-ipl-total-478441">CSK vs MI: 97 all-out! MS Dhoni &amp; Co. succumb to a new low, register their 2nd lowest IPL total</a>

In reply, Rohit &amp; Co. were also reduced to 33 for 4 due to Mukesh Choudhary's early blows. However, a sedate 48-run fifth-wicket stand between young guns Hrithik Shoukeen-Tilak Verma steadied MI's innings as they won by five wickets.&nbsp;

Here's the updated points table after MI eliminate CSK:

<img alt="Points Table after CSK-MI clash" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="32319fad-7777-4aeb-b0fd-fdcf4d9ae394" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/PT%20MI-CSK.png" />

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/csk-vs-mi-explained-heres-why-both-teams-were-deprived-of-drs-during-first-10-balls-of-the-contest-478426">CSK vs MI: EXPLAINED! Here's why both teams were deprived of DRS during first 10 balls of the contest</a>

CSK and MI are now the two eliminated teams from the playoffs race as all the other seven franchises remain in contention or are close to qualifying for the next round. Gujarat Titans (GT) are the only side confirmed of a playoffs spot.

Match 59 of the IPL 2022 edition saw the arch-rivals and bottom-lying Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) take on each other at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Thursday evening (May 12).

Match 59 of the IPL 2022 edition saw the arch-rivals and bottom-lying Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) take on each other at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Thursday evening (May 12). The match presented another opportunity for the five-time winners and already-eliminated Rohit Sharma-led MI franchise to add another two points in their kitty whereas it was a must-win clash for MS Dhoni's CSK. Being alive in the playoffs race by the barest of margins, Chennai couldn't afford to let loose. However, nothing clicked for the defending champions and four-time winners as they conceded the game by 5 wickets. Being asked to bat first, amid power cut issues, CSK were off to a horrible start and soon reduced to 29-5 courtesy Daniel Sams' three quick strikes. Their top-order players couldn't even take the help of the DRS in the first ten deliveries due to the power cut. Barring Dhoni's 36*, no one stood tall as CSK folded for their second-lowest IPL total (97). ALSO READ | CSK vs MI: 97 all-out! MS Dhoni & Co. succumb to a new low, register their 2nd lowest IPL total In reply, Rohit & Co. were also reduced to 33 for 4 due to Mukesh Choudhary's early blows. However, a sedate 48-run fifth-wicket stand between young guns Hrithik Shoukeen-Tilak Verma steadied MI's innings as they won by five wickets. Here's the updated points table after MI eliminate CSK: ALSO READ | CSK vs MI: EXPLAINED! Here's why both teams were deprived of DRS during first 10 balls of the contest CSK and MI are now the two eliminated teams from the playoffs race as all the other seven franchises remain in contention or are close to qualifying for the next round. Gujarat Titans (GT) are the only side confirmed of a playoffs spot.

Updated IPL 2022 points table after Mumbai Indians thrash Chennai Super Kings by 5 wickets

Match 59 of IPL 2022 edition between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) got underway in an unusual manner on Thursday evening (May 12), at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.&nbsp;

Firstly, the coin toss was delayed by a bit due to one of the floodlights going off. After Rohit Sharma-led MI franchise opted to bowl first, both sides were informed that they couldn't use the DRS for sometime due to powercut at the stadium. Thus, CSK opener and in-form batter Devon Conway paid the price by getting dismissed on the first ball he faced, which was clearly sliding down the leg side. Nonetheless, the New Zealander couldn't take the&nbsp;decision upstairs due to the unfortunate power cut.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ravindra-jadeja-might-not-be-with-csk-in-ipl-2023-says-ex-indian-opener-amid-rift-rumours-478419">Ravindra Jadeja might not be with CSK in IPL 2023, says ex-Indian opener amid rift rumours</a>

The DRS became available after ten completed deliveries. By then, Dhoni-led CSK were tottering at 5-3 with Conway, Moeen Ali and Robin Uthappa perishing for cheap.&nbsp;

The defending champions and four-time winners Chennai, who are playing a must-win match to keep the playoff hopes alive, have paid a big price for the power shortage. The Yellow Army lost half their side for a paltry 29 runs on board in less than six overs. The 2021 winners need to win all their remaining games to stand any chance of qualifying for the playoffs, which looks like&nbsp;an improbable task at present.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-rishabh-pant-joins-ms-dhoni-led-elite-list-of-indian-wicketkeeper-batters-with-4k-runs-in-t20s-478369">IPL 2022: Rishabh Pant joins MS Dhoni-led elite list of Indian wicketkeeper-batters with 4k runs in T20s</a>

At the coin toss, Rohit reflected on the CSK-MI rivalry and stated, "It's brilliant to play against Chennai, it's always like that. We need to try and win the game."

On the other hand, Dhoni opined on all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja being ruled out due to injury and said, "It's tough to replace him, don't think anyone can field better, no replacement in that aspect."

Match 59 of IPL 2022 edition between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) got underway in an unusual manner on Thursday evening (May 12), at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.

Match 59 of IPL 2022 edition between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) got underway in an unusual manner on Thursday evening (May 12), at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Firstly, the coin toss was delayed by a bit due to one of the floodlights going off. After Rohit Sharma-led MI franchise opted to bowl first, both sides were informed that they couldn't use the DRS for sometime due to powercut at the stadium. Thus, CSK opener and in-form batter Devon Conway paid the price by getting dismissed on the first ball he faced, which was clearly sliding down the leg side. Nonetheless, the New Zealander couldn't take the decision upstairs due to the unfortunate power cut. ALSO READ | Ravindra Jadeja might not be with CSK in IPL 2023, says ex-Indian opener amid rift rumours The DRS became available after ten completed deliveries. By then, Dhoni-led CSK were tottering at 5-3 with Conway, Moeen Ali and Robin Uthappa perishing for cheap. The defending champions and four-time winners Chennai, who are playing a must-win match to keep the playoff hopes alive, have paid a big price for the power shortage. The Yellow Army lost half their side for a paltry 29 runs on board in less than six overs. The 2021 winners need to win all their remaining games to stand any chance of qualifying for the playoffs, which looks like an improbable task at present. ALSO READ | IPL 2022: Rishabh Pant joins MS Dhoni-led elite list of Indian wicketkeeper-batters with 4k runs in T20s At the coin toss, Rohit reflected on the CSK-MI rivalry and stated, "It's brilliant to play against Chennai, it's always like that. We need to try and win the game." On the other hand, Dhoni opined on all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja being ruled out due to injury and said, "It's tough to replace him, don't think anyone can field better, no replacement in that aspect."

CSK vs MI: EXPLAINED! Here's why both teams were deprived of DRS during first 10 balls of the contest

Ravindra Jadeja has had a torrid time in IPL 2022. Just before the start of the season, he was reawarded with the captaincy of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) as MS Dhoni decided to step down from the post. Nonetheless, the star CSK all-rounder's captaincy stint was short-lived as he himself resigned from the position after eight games, leading the defending champions to a win in only two fixtures.

Apart from his captaincy, Jadeja's run with both bat and ball remained below-par before he requested Dhoni to take back the leadership role. Playing freely as a player, the 33-year-old soon got injured (rib injury) during CSK's clash with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and was been ruled out of IPL 15. Ever since he relinquished captaincy, many believe all wasn't well between the CSK team management and Jadeja (although CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan has denied all such reports). Now, former Indian opener Aakash Chopra believes this might have been the last season for Jadeja in yellow jersey.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ravindra-jadeja-to-miss-the-remainder-of-ipl-2022-due-to-injury-confirm-csk-478171">Ravindra Jadeja to miss the remainder of IPL 2022 due to injury, confirm CSK</a>

"Jaddu (Jadeja) won't be there for this match. But I am getting a thought that maybe he won't even be there next year. This happens in the Chennai camp that you don't exactly know what has happened to the player when he is injured or gets dropped. A similar thing happened to Suresh Raina in 2021. After some games, they suddenly left him out," said Chopra in a video on his YouTube channel.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-rishabh-pant-joins-ms-dhoni-led-elite-list-of-indian-wicketkeeper-batters-with-4k-runs-in-t20s-478369">IPL 2022: Rishabh Pant joins MS Dhoni-led elite list of Indian wicketkeeper-batters with 4k runs in T20s</a>

Jadeja's IPL 2022 ended with woeful numbers with both bat and ball.&nbsp;He&nbsp;only managed&nbsp;as many as five scalps and struck at a poor 118.36 with the bat.

Ravindra Jadeja has had a torrid time in IPL 2022. Just before the start of the season, he was reawarded with the captaincy of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) as MS Dhoni decided to step down from the post.

Ravindra Jadeja has had a torrid time in IPL 2022. Just before the start of the season, he was reawarded with the captaincy of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) as MS Dhoni decided to step down from the post. Nonetheless, the star CSK all-rounder's captaincy stint was short-lived as he himself resigned from the position after eight games, leading the defending champions to a win in only two fixtures. Apart from his captaincy, Jadeja's run with both bat and ball remained below-par before he requested Dhoni to take back the leadership role. Playing freely as a player, the 33-year-old soon got injured (rib injury) during CSK's clash with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and was been ruled out of IPL 15. Ever since he relinquished captaincy, many believe all wasn't well between the CSK team management and Jadeja (although CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan has denied all such reports). Now, former Indian opener Aakash Chopra believes this might have been the last season for Jadeja in yellow jersey. ALSO READ | Ravindra Jadeja to miss the remainder of IPL 2022 due to injury, confirm CSK "Jaddu (Jadeja) won't be there for this match. But I am getting a thought that maybe he won't even be there next year. This happens in the Chennai camp that you don't exactly know what has happened to the player when he is injured or gets dropped. A similar thing happened to Suresh Raina in 2021. After some games, they suddenly left him out," said Chopra in a video on his YouTube channel. ALSO READ | IPL 2022: Rishabh Pant joins MS Dhoni-led elite list of Indian wicketkeeper-batters with 4k runs in T20s Jadeja's IPL 2022 ended with woeful numbers with both bat and ball. He only managed as many as five scalps and struck at a poor 118.36 with the bat.

Ravindra Jadeja might not be with CSK in IPL 2023, says ex-Indian opener amid rift rumours

Rishabh Pant-led Delhi Capitals (DC) locked horns with&nbsp;Sanju Samson's Rajasthan Royals (RR) in match 58 of IPL 2022 edition on Wednesday evening (May 11). In a bid to remain alive in the playoffs race, the Delhi franchise brought their A-game as they restricted RR to 160-6 and later chased down the target with eight wickets and 11 balls to spare.

While it was Mitchell Marsh show, returning with 2 for 25 and 62-ball 89, Pant also marshalled his troops well and took a brave call to bat second after winning the toss. Later, he also ended with a 4-ball 13* as he entered an elite list.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/csk-vs-mi-ipl-2022-today-match-prediction-who-will-win-chennai-super-kings-vs-mumbai-indians-clash-478363">CSK vs MI, IPL 2022 today match prediction: Who will win Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians clash?</a>

The 24-year-old Pant is now among Indian wicketkeeper-batsman with in excess of 4,000 runs in T20 cricket. The list is topped by none other than the legendary cricketer MS Dhoni. The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain&nbsp;has amassed 7,098 runs whereas Dinesh Karthik&nbsp;is at the second spot with&nbsp;6,557 runs in 339 T20s. Parthiv Patel, on the other hand, finished&nbsp;his T20 career with 4,300 runs. Given that Pant is only 24 and in the initial phase of his career, he is set to scale new heights and top the list in the coming years.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/updated-ipl-2022-points-table-after-delhi-capitals-thrash-rajasthan-royals-by-8-wickets-478212">Updated IPL 2022 points table after Delhi Capitals thrash Rajasthan Royals by 8 wickets</a>

After DC pulled off a big win and kept their playoffs hopes alive, with 14 points and two games remaining, Pant said at the post-match presentation, "Very close to a perfect game. Always believe there's room for improvement. When you know the wicket is going to turn, little bit not much, there's an opportunity to both bowl first or bat first. In the toss I said anything around 140-160 would be good for us, and we got 160. Destiny is always on your hands, you can look to give 100 percent. Fielding wise we can be better. He got typhoid or something like that (talking about Shaw), doctor told me that."

Rishabh Pant-led Delhi Capitals (DC) locked horns with Sanju Samson's Rajasthan Royals (RR) in match 58 of IPL 2022 edition on Wednesday evening (May 11). In a bid to remain alive in the playoffs race, the Delhi franchise brought their A-game as they restricted RR to 160-6 and later chased down the target with eight wickets and 11 balls to spare.

Rishabh Pant-led Delhi Capitals (DC) locked horns with Sanju Samson's Rajasthan Royals (RR) in match 58 of IPL 2022 edition on Wednesday evening (May 11). In a bid to remain alive in the playoffs race, the Delhi franchise brought their A-game as they restricted RR to 160-6 and later chased down the target with eight wickets and 11 balls to spare. While it was Mitchell Marsh show, returning with 2 for 25 and 62-ball 89, Pant also marshalled his troops well and took a brave call to bat second after winning the toss. Later, he also ended with a 4-ball 13* as he entered an elite list. ALSO READ | CSK vs MI, IPL 2022 today match prediction: Who will win Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians clash? The 24-year-old Pant is now among Indian wicketkeeper-batsman with in excess of 4,000 runs in T20 cricket. The list is topped by none other than the legendary cricketer MS Dhoni. The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain has amassed 7,098 runs whereas Dinesh Karthik is at the second spot with 6,557 runs in 339 T20s. Parthiv Patel, on the other hand, finished his T20 career with 4,300 runs. Given that Pant is only 24 and in the initial phase of his career, he is set to scale new heights and top the list in the coming years. ALSO READ | Updated IPL 2022 points table after Delhi Capitals thrash Rajasthan Royals by 8 wickets After DC pulled off a big win and kept their playoffs hopes alive, with 14 points and two games remaining, Pant said at the post-match presentation, "Very close to a perfect game. Always believe there's room for improvement. When you know the wicket is going to turn, little bit not much, there's an opportunity to both bowl first or bat first. In the toss I said anything around 140-160 would be good for us, and we got 160. Destiny is always on your hands, you can look to give 100 percent. Fielding wise we can be better. He got typhoid or something like that (talking about Shaw), doctor told me that."

IPL 2022: Rishabh Pant joins MS Dhoni-led elite list of Indian wicketkeeper-batters with 4k runs in T20s

The El Clasico of IPL returns as the five-time champions and bottom-lying Mumbai Indians (MI) are all set to lock horns with the arch-rivals MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in match 58 of IPL 2022 edition, on Thursday evening (May 12), at the&nbsp;Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.&nbsp;

Exactly three years back, Rohit Sharma's MI franchise had beaten Dhoni-starrer Chennai by a run in IPL 2019 final to win their fourth title. This time around, the Mumbai outfit will be desperate to return to winning ways and also end CSK's playoff hopes with a win on Thursday evening. For the unversed, MI were the first team to be out of the playoffs race and if they manage to settle scores with CSK this time around, following their close loss to the Yellow Army earlier this season, it will also end Dhoni &amp; Co.'s hopes of progressing ahead. Hence, a lot is riding on this battle despite both sides languishing at the bottom.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/updated-ipl-2022-points-table-after-delhi-capitals-thrash-rajasthan-royals-by-8-wickets-478212">Updated IPL 2022 points table after Delhi Capitals thrash Rajasthan Royals by 8 wickets</a>

Talking about both teams' form, MI won two in a row after eight successive defeats. However, they lost to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 52 runs in their previous encounter. On the other hand, CSK have had some change of fortunes ever since Dhoni returned as their captain. Since then, they have won twice and lost one clash. In their last outing, Chennai defeated Delhi Capitals (DC) by a whopping 92-run margin and will hope for another big win to bolster their NRR and keep playoff hopes alive.

Match prediction for CSK vs MI encounter:&nbsp;The toss at the Wankhede has always been crucial. While captains have largely preferred chasing, only thrice out of 15 games has a winning captain opted to bat first at this venue. Out of those three instances, totals have been defended twice, hence, batting first is also not a bad option here. Nonetheless, the toss will remain critical. Will MI rely on birthday boy and CSK's nemesis Kieron Pollard to upset CSK's chances? A close and moderate-scoring contest on the cards!!!

The El Clasico of IPL returns as the five-time champions and bottom-lying Mumbai Indians (MI) are all set to lock horns with the arch-rivals MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in match 58 of IPL 2022 edition, on Thursday evening (May 12), at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.

The El Clasico of IPL returns as the five-time champions and bottom-lying Mumbai Indians (MI) are all set to lock horns with the arch-rivals MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in match 58 of IPL 2022 edition, on Thursday evening (May 12), at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Exactly three years back, Rohit Sharma's MI franchise had beaten Dhoni-starrer Chennai by a run in IPL 2019 final to win their fourth title. This time around, the Mumbai outfit will be desperate to return to winning ways and also end CSK's playoff hopes with a win on Thursday evening. For the unversed, MI were the first team to be out of the playoffs race and if they manage to settle scores with CSK this time around, following their close loss to the Yellow Army earlier this season, it will also end Dhoni & Co.'s hopes of progressing ahead. Hence, a lot is riding on this battle despite both sides languishing at the bottom. ALSO READ | Updated IPL 2022 points table after Delhi Capitals thrash Rajasthan Royals by 8 wickets Talking about both teams' form, MI won two in a row after eight successive defeats. However, they lost to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 52 runs in their previous encounter. On the other hand, CSK have had some change of fortunes ever since Dhoni returned as their captain. Since then, they have won twice and lost one clash. In their last outing, Chennai defeated Delhi Capitals (DC) by a whopping 92-run margin and will hope for another big win to bolster their NRR and keep playoff hopes alive. Match prediction for CSK vs MI encounter: The toss at the Wankhede has always been crucial. While captains have largely preferred chasing, only thrice out of 15 games has a winning captain opted to bat first at this venue. Out of those three instances, totals have been defended twice, hence, batting first is also not a bad option here. Nonetheless, the toss will remain critical. Will MI rely on birthday boy and CSK's nemesis Kieron Pollard to upset CSK's chances? A close and moderate-scoring contest on the cards!!!

CSK vs MI, IPL 2022 today match prediction: Who will win Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians clash?

Prior to the start of IPL 2022, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) announced a change in leadership as MS Dhoni made way for Ravindra Jadeja. Many had their eyes glued on Jadeja as the star CSK all-rounder had big shoes to fill in and deliver the goods for the four-time winners and the defending champions in the 15th season.

Nonetheless, Jadeja's captaincy stint for the Yellow Army was a forgettable affair, where he managed to lead the side to only two wins from eight encounters. With his own performances also not being upto the mark, with both bat and ball, the 33-year-old stepped down from the post and requested his predecessor Dhoni to once again take up the top job before Chennai's ninth game of the season (versus Sunrisers Hyderabad).

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-realized-what-it-feels-like-to-be-helpless-virat-kohli-opens-up-on-his-poor-run-of-form-in-ipl-2022-478096">I realized what it feels like to be helpless: Virat Kohli opens up on his poor run of form in IPL 2022</a>

Speaking on&nbsp;ESPNcricinfo's T20 Time Out, India's former head coach Ravi Shastri opened up on Jadeja's CSK captaincy stint. While Shastri agreed that the change in captaincy led to CSK's downfall this season,&nbsp;he defended Jadeja and refrained from blaming him for CSK's woeful run. He said, "He [Jadeja] is not a natural captain. He hasn't captained at any level. So, to give him the responsibility I thought was a little hard on Jadeja. People might want to judge Jaddu, but it's not his fault. He hasn't captained anywhere. He looked a fish out of water, totally out of place and he's far better off playing as a player. Because he's one of the best around in the business, when it comes to allrounders."

"So let him just focus on his cricket. That [decision to give him the captaincy] cost CSK a few games early on. If you see the form they're in now, if they had this going early on, they'll be right up there in the mix, Shastri further added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/huge-blow-for-csk-as-ravindra-jadeja-likely-to-be-ruled-out-of-remainder-of-ipl-2022-report-478090">Huge blow for CSK as Ravindra Jadeja likely to be ruled out of remainder of IPL 2022 - Report</a>

After relinquishing CSK captaincy, Jadeja looked in some control with the ball and bowled some tidy spells but failed to get going in the franchise's reverse fixture against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) during a tricky run-chase. In the same encounter, he injured himself and is reportedly out of the remainder of IPL 2022.

Jadeja's numbers in IPL 2022 have also been below-par. He has only accounted for five scalps and struck at a woeful&nbsp;118.36. If his season has ended due to injury, it surely has been a forgettable one for the star cricketer.

Prior to the start of IPL 2022, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) announced a change in leadership as MS Dhoni made way for Ravindra Jadeja. Many had their eyes glued on Jadeja as the star CSK all-rounder had big shoes to fill in and deliver the goods for the four-time winners and the defending champions in the 15th season.

Prior to the start of IPL 2022, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) announced a change in leadership as MS Dhoni made way for Ravindra Jadeja. Many had their eyes glued on Jadeja as the star CSK all-rounder had big shoes to fill in and deliver the goods for the four-time winners and the defending champions in the 15th season. Nonetheless, Jadeja's captaincy stint for the Yellow Army was a forgettable affair, where he managed to lead the side to only two wins from eight encounters. With his own performances also not being upto the mark, with both bat and ball, the 33-year-old stepped down from the post and requested his predecessor Dhoni to once again take up the top job before Chennai's ninth game of the season (versus Sunrisers Hyderabad). ALSO READ | I realized what it feels like to be helpless: Virat Kohli opens up on his poor run of form in IPL 2022 Speaking on ESPNcricinfo's T20 Time Out, India's former head coach Ravi Shastri opened up on Jadeja's CSK captaincy stint. While Shastri agreed that the change in captaincy led to CSK's downfall this season, he defended Jadeja and refrained from blaming him for CSK's woeful run. He said, "He [Jadeja] is not a natural captain. He hasn't captained at any level. So, to give him the responsibility I thought was a little hard on Jadeja. People might want to judge Jaddu, but it's not his fault. He hasn't captained anywhere. He looked a fish out of water, totally out of place and he's far better off playing as a player. Because he's one of the best around in the business, when it comes to allrounders." "So let him just focus on his cricket. That [decision to give him the captaincy] cost CSK a few games early on. If you see the form they're in now, if they had this going early on, they'll be right up there in the mix, Shastri further added. ALSO READ | Huge blow for CSK as Ravindra Jadeja likely to be ruled out of remainder of IPL 2022 - Report After relinquishing CSK captaincy, Jadeja looked in some control with the ball and bowled some tidy spells but failed to get going in the franchise's reverse fixture against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) during a tricky run-chase. In the same encounter, he injured himself and is reportedly out of the remainder of IPL 2022. Jadeja's numbers in IPL 2022 have also been below-par. He has only accounted for five scalps and struck at a woeful 118.36. If his season has ended due to injury, it surely has been a forgettable one for the star cricketer.

'He looked a fish out of water' - Ravi Shastri defends Ravindra Jadeja's CSK captaincy stint

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