<p>After facing a defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Chennai Super Kings have now lost three matches in a row now and sit at the bottom of the table. According to skipper MS Dhoni, the team needs to "get a lot of things right" if they want to get back to winning ways in the IPL 2020.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-sunrisers-hyderabad-defeat-chennai-super-kings-in-a-thriller-332114" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Sunrisers Hyderabad defeat Chennai Super Kings in a thriller</a></p>

<p>Sunrisers Hyderabad came from behind to defeat the Chennai-based franchise. Despite being down to 69/4, Priyam Garg and Abhishek Sharma's 77-run partnership powered SRH to 164-5 in their 20 overs. During this partnership, CSK players dropped a few catches that could have changed the course of the game in their favor.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-ben-stokes-to-arrive-in-uae-tonight-confirms-rajasthan-royals-332221" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Ben Stokes to arrive in UAE tonight, confirms Rajasthan Royals</a></p>

<p>After facing a third consecutive loss, Skipper MS Dhoni said: "We need to get a lot of things right. We need to take our catches not bowl no-balls. Those are the controllable and may be we are getting too relaxed. We have been a bit too relaxed at times."</p>

<p>"Nobody wants to drop catches but at the same at this level, we need to draw a line and take these catches especially when the team hasn't been doing that outstandingly well. It is very important to be at your best. There are plenty of positives in this game but we will try to come back strong," he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>During Chennai's batting, Dhoni promoted himself in the batting order after losing quick wickets. His partnership with Jadeja brought CSK back in the game. However, after Jadeja's dismissal, Dhoni failed to hit some boundaries and did not look comfortable while batting out there. CSK eventually lost the match by 7 runs to SRH.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While talking about his batting, he said: "I was not able to middle a lot of deliveries. Was trying to hit it too hard. Looking at outfield it was subconsciously coming to us to hit the ball hard. Tried to get as much as time as possible. Long time back once we lost three in a row."</p>

<p>Chennai Super Kings will next face KL Rahul's Kings XI Punjab on October 4 in Dubai.&nbsp;</p>


After facing a defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Chennai Super Kings have now lost three matches in a row now and sit at the bottom of the table. According to skipper MS Dhoni, the team needs to "get a lot of things right" if they want to get back to winning ways in the IPL 2020.

After facing a defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Chennai Super Kings have now lost three matches in a row now and sit at the bottom of the table. According to skipper MS Dhoni, the team needs to "get a lot of things right" if they want to get back to winning ways in the IPL 2020. Also read: IPL 2020: Sunrisers Hyderabad defeat Chennai Super Kings in a thriller Sunrisers Hyderabad came from behind to defeat the Chennai-based franchise. Despite being down to 69/4, Priyam Garg and Abhishek Sharma's 77-run partnership powered SRH to 164-5 in their 20 overs. During this partnership, CSK players dropped a few catches that could have changed the course of the game in their favor. Also read: IPL 2020: Ben Stokes to arrive in UAE tonight, confirms Rajasthan Royals After facing a third consecutive loss, Skipper MS Dhoni said: "We need to get a lot of things right. We need to take our catches not bowl no-balls. Those are the controllable and may be we are getting too relaxed. We have been a bit too relaxed at times." "Nobody wants to drop catches but at the same at this level, we need to draw a line and take these catches especially when the team hasn't been doing that outstandingly well. It is very important to be at your best. There are plenty of positives in this game but we will try to come back strong," he added. During Chennai's batting, Dhoni promoted himself in the batting order after losing quick wickets. His partnership with Jadeja brought CSK back in the game. However, after Jadeja's dismissal, Dhoni failed to hit some boundaries and did not look comfortable while batting out there. CSK eventually lost the match by 7 runs to SRH. While talking about his batting, he said: "I was not able to middle a lot of deliveries. Was trying to hit it too hard. Looking at outfield it was subconsciously coming to us to hit the ball hard. Tried to get as much as time as possible. Long time back once we lost three in a row." Chennai Super Kings will next face KL Rahul's Kings XI Punjab on October 4 in Dubai.

'I was not able to...': MS Dhoni talks about his performance against Sunrisers

<p>Mahendra Singh Dhoni found himself in the record books on Friday as the Chennai Super Kings skipper became the most capped played in the history of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL)</a> surpassing the likes of Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma and Dinesh Karthik.</p>

<p>As soon as Dhoni took the field at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai on Friday, the former Indian captain became the player with most starts in IPL history. Dhoni now has 194 caps in total while playing for Chennai Super Kings and Rising Pune Supergiants.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Earlier, Suresh Raina was the record holder for most appearance in IPL with 193 appearances. However, with the veteran southpaw missing IPL 2020 due to ‘personal reasons’, he was unable to continue the record in the 13th edition of IPL, which is being held in UAE behind closed doors.</p>

<p>Apart from Dhoni (194), Raina (193), Rohit Sharma with 192 caps and Kolkata Knight Riders captain Dinesh Karthik with 185 caps in IPL are next in the list.</p>

<p><strong>IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-trivia-top-records-of-thala-ms-dhoni-in-the-tournament-328205" hreflang="en">IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament</a></strong></p>

<h2>Most matches in IPL</h2>

<ul>
	<li>194 MS Dhoni*</li>
	<li>193 S Raina</li>
	<li>192 Rohit Sharma</li>
	<li>185 D Karthik</li>
</ul>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">MS Dhoni today becomes the most capped player (194) in the history of IPL.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dream11IPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Dream11IPL</a> <a href="https://t.co/PwpDFcEA2E">pic.twitter.com/PwpDFcEA2E</a></p>
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1312024820771516417?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>Talking about the match between SRH and CSK, David Warner won the toss and opted to bat first with both teams eagerly looking to win the contest.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-csk-are-under-pressure-even-die-hard-fans-have-gone-quiet-opines-sanjay-manjrekar-332050" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: CSK are under pressure, even die-hard fans have gone quiet, opines Sanjay Manjrekar</a></strong></p>

<p><strong>Dhoni said at the toss:</strong> Hopefully the wicket won't slow down much. We got time at a very important juncture and it will also help us reflect what we need to change in batting and bowling. Momentum when it comes to batting is one of the key aspects. The length has been crucial and experience really plays in. Vijay, Ruturaj and Hazlewood make way for Rayudu, Shardul and Bravo.</p>

<p><strong>Warner said:</strong> We are gonna have a bat. Looks a nice wicket and we want to put runs on the board. We are a good side at defending and if all goes to plan, hopefully we can defend it.&nbsp;</p>


Mahendra Singh Dhoni found himself in the record books on Friday as the Chennai Super Kings skipper became the most capped played in the history of Indian Premier League (IPL) surpassing the likes of Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma and Dinesh Karthik.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni found himself in the record books on Friday as the Chennai Super Kings skipper became the most capped played in the history of Indian Premier League (IPL) surpassing the likes of Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma and Dinesh Karthik. As soon as Dhoni took the field at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai on Friday, the former Indian captain became the player with most starts in IPL history. Dhoni now has 194 caps in total while playing for Chennai Super Kings and Rising Pune Supergiants. Earlier, Suresh Raina was the record holder for most appearance in IPL with 193 appearances. However, with the veteran southpaw missing IPL 2020 due to ‘personal reasons’, he was unable to continue the record in the 13th edition of IPL, which is being held in UAE behind closed doors. Apart from Dhoni (194), Raina (193), Rohit Sharma with 192 caps and Kolkata Knight Riders captain Dinesh Karthik with 185 caps in IPL are next in the list. IN PICS | IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament Most matches in IPL 194 MS Dhoni* 193 S Raina 192 Rohit Sharma 185 D Karthik MS Dhoni today becomes the most capped player (194) in the history of IPL.#Dream11IPL pic.twitter.com/PwpDFcEA2E — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) October 2, 2020 × Talking about the match between SRH and CSK, David Warner won the toss and opted to bat first with both teams eagerly looking to win the contest. ALSO READ: IPL 2020: CSK are under pressure, even die-hard fans have gone quiet, opines Sanjay Manjrekar Dhoni said at the toss: Hopefully the wicket won't slow down much. We got time at a very important juncture and it will also help us reflect what we need to change in batting and bowling. Momentum when it comes to batting is one of the key aspects. The length has been crucial and experience really plays in. Vijay, Ruturaj and Hazlewood make way for Rayudu, Shardul and Bravo. Warner said: We are gonna have a bat. Looks a nice wicket and we want to put runs on the board. We are a good side at defending and if all goes to plan, hopefully we can defend it.

MS Dhoni surpasses Suresh Raina to achieve monumental record in IPL

<p>Former India cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar is of the view that Chennai Super Kings has some clinical issues that needs to be sorted out if the three-time <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">IPL</a> winners want to get back to winning ways.&nbsp;</p>

<p>CSK head into the match against SRH being last on the points table following two back-to-back defeats in three matches this season. Manjrekar opined that CSK are under pressure this time and even the die-hard fans seem a bit concerned about their fate in the tournament.</p>

<p>"Chennai Super Kings as a team has rarely been under pressure in the league stage. This time they are. Even their die-hard fans have gone quiet on social media, they seem a little concerned. They look towards MS Dhoni for salvation.</p>

<p><strong>IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-2020-top-5-all-rounders-to-watchout-for-327567" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Top 5 all-rounders to watchout for!</a></strong></p>

<p>"Chennai's approach has been very unique in the tournament, it's a team that is the opposite of Mumbai, who have virtually every member in their team capable of winning a T20 game on their own. Chennai may not compare with Mumbai as well, in this regard, but as a unit, it is a match-winning one. And for this to happen they need Dhoni at the helm," Manjrekar wrote in his column for Times of India.</p>

<p>Manjrekar also pointed fingers on how Dhoni needs to throw some of the flaws out of the window in their match against SRH on Friday.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-sky-is-the-limit-for-mumbai-indians-in-last-four-overs-says-kieron-pollard-332009" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Sky is the limit for Mumbai Indians in last four overs, says Pollard</a></strong></p>

<p>"Any other captain would not be able to extract what Dhoni does from this team and when Chennai eventually have to look at life beyond Dhoni we may see a completely different structure of the team, unless Dhoni still remains the cricket nerve centre of the franchise, then maybe not.</p>

<p>“But this would be interesting to see this in the coming years. For now, Dhoni has some small, clinical cricketing issues to sort out - on a good pitch he must have an additional bowling option, most teams are now starting to do that. At Chennai they could afford to rely on Jadeja to bowl his 4, in UAE for now at least, it's an unreliable tactic," Manjrekar added.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Former India cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar is of the view that Chennai Super Kings has some clinical issues that needs to be sorted out if the three-time IPL winners want to get back to winning ways.

Former India cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar is of the view that Chennai Super Kings has some clinical issues that needs to be sorted out if the three-time IPL winners want to get back to winning ways. CSK head into the match against SRH being last on the points table following two back-to-back defeats in three matches this season. Manjrekar opined that CSK are under pressure this time and even the die-hard fans seem a bit concerned about their fate in the tournament. "Chennai Super Kings as a team has rarely been under pressure in the league stage. This time they are. Even their die-hard fans have gone quiet on social media, they seem a little concerned. They look towards MS Dhoni for salvation. IN PICS | IPL 2020: Top 5 all-rounders to watchout for! "Chennai's approach has been very unique in the tournament, it's a team that is the opposite of Mumbai, who have virtually every member in their team capable of winning a T20 game on their own. Chennai may not compare with Mumbai as well, in this regard, but as a unit, it is a match-winning one. And for this to happen they need Dhoni at the helm," Manjrekar wrote in his column for Times of India. Manjrekar also pointed fingers on how Dhoni needs to throw some of the flaws out of the window in their match against SRH on Friday. ALSO READ: IPL 2020: Sky is the limit for Mumbai Indians in last four overs, says Pollard "Any other captain would not be able to extract what Dhoni does from this team and when Chennai eventually have to look at life beyond Dhoni we may see a completely different structure of the team, unless Dhoni still remains the cricket nerve centre of the franchise, then maybe not. “But this would be interesting to see this in the coming years. For now, Dhoni has some small, clinical cricketing issues to sort out - on a good pitch he must have an additional bowling option, most teams are now starting to do that. At Chennai they could afford to rely on Jadeja to bowl his 4, in UAE for now at least, it's an unreliable tactic," Manjrekar added.

IPL 2020: CSK are under pressure, even die-hard fans have gone quiet, opines Sanjay Manjrekar

<p>Mahendra Singh Dhoni, a popular name in the world of cricket, is now entering the world of entertainment. No, he has no plans of acting but him and wife Sakshi Dhoni have announced a project -- a mythological sci-fi show.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The series is an adaptation of an upublished book by debutant author. Calling it a “thriller adventure”, Sakshi Dhoni said, “The book is a mythological sci-fi which explores the journey of a mysterious Aghori who has been captured at a high-tech facility. The secrets revealed by this Aghori could alter the myths of the ancient beliefs of the existing and course of the forthcoming.”</p>

<p>“We would like to ensure that we execute all the aspects of this universe and bring out every character and story to the screen, with as much precision as possible. Web series fit our purpose better than adapting it into a feature film,” she said.</p>

<p>Last year, Dhoni has produced a documentary via his company called Dhoni Entertainment. His debut project was docu series ‘Roar of the Lion’ in 2019. It was directed by Kabir Khan. It charted the comeback of the IPL team Chennai Super Kings under the captaincy of Dhoni, following a two-year suspension for spot-fixing.&nbsp;</p>


Mahendra Singh Dhoni, a popular name in the world of cricket, is now entering the world of entertainment. No, he has no plans of acting but him and wife Sakshi Dhoni have announced a project -- a mythological sci-fi show.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, a popular name in the world of cricket, is now entering the world of entertainment. No, he has no plans of acting but him and wife Sakshi Dhoni have announced a project -- a mythological sci-fi show. The series is an adaptation of an upublished book by debutant author. Calling it a “thriller adventure”, Sakshi Dhoni said, “The book is a mythological sci-fi which explores the journey of a mysterious Aghori who has been captured at a high-tech facility. The secrets revealed by this Aghori could alter the myths of the ancient beliefs of the existing and course of the forthcoming.” “We would like to ensure that we execute all the aspects of this universe and bring out every character and story to the screen, with as much precision as possible. Web series fit our purpose better than adapting it into a feature film,” she said. Last year, Dhoni has produced a documentary via his company called Dhoni Entertainment. His debut project was docu series ‘Roar of the Lion’ in 2019. It was directed by Kabir Khan. It charted the comeback of the IPL team Chennai Super Kings under the captaincy of Dhoni, following a two-year suspension for spot-fixing.

MS Dhoni, wife Sakshi to produce mythological sci-fi series

<p>India's batting legend and former opener Virender&nbsp;Sehwag gave his analysis on Chennai Super Kings after being beaten by Delhi Capitals by 44 runs in the Indian Premier League 2020. Chennai Super Kings batsman failed to chase 176 runs in 20 overs despite having wickets in hand.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/australias-alyssa-healy-overtakes-ms-dhoni-for-most-dismissals-by-a-wicketkeeper-in-t20i-330665" hreflang="en">Australia's Alyssa Healy overtakes MS Dhoni for most dismissals by a wicketkeeper in T20I</a></p>

<p>The opening pair of CSK has been the Achilles' heel in this tournament. Vijay scored 10, whereas, Watson scored 14 runs against the Capitals.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Chennai-based franchise has been solely dependant on Faf du Plessis. CSK skipper MS Dhoni has been widely criticised by other analysts for walking out to bat at number 6. Sehwag lashed out of CSK's chasing style in the previous match and compared it to a Test match chase.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"CSK start wasn't that bad but it felt like they were constantly on 2nd gear. Murali Vijay, it seemed, didn't believe he was playing T20s. Shane Watson, like an old engine, had starting trouble and then came to a halt early. Faf du Plessis walked in and it seems he tried to make his teammates understand that they were playing T20s and not Tests," said Sehwag in a video on his Instagram account.</p>

<p>The Indian opener also joked about MS Dhoni's batting number.</p>

<p>"Even then MS Dhoni did not come in to bat. Now, it seems India might get bullet trains before MS Dhoni makes up his mind to bat at No. 4," he joked further.</p>


India's batting legend and former opener Virender Sehwag gave his analysis on Chennai Super Kings after being beaten by Delhi Capitals by 44 runs in the Indian Premier League 2020.

India's batting legend and former opener Virender Sehwag gave his analysis on Chennai Super Kings after being beaten by Delhi Capitals by 44 runs in the Indian Premier League 2020. Chennai Super Kings batsman failed to chase 176 runs in 20 overs despite having wickets in hand. Also read: Australia's Alyssa Healy overtakes MS Dhoni for most dismissals by a wicketkeeper in T20I The opening pair of CSK has been the Achilles' heel in this tournament. Vijay scored 10, whereas, Watson scored 14 runs against the Capitals. The Chennai-based franchise has been solely dependant on Faf du Plessis. CSK skipper MS Dhoni has been widely criticised by other analysts for walking out to bat at number 6. Sehwag lashed out of CSK's chasing style in the previous match and compared it to a Test match chase. "CSK start wasn't that bad but it felt like they were constantly on 2nd gear. Murali Vijay, it seemed, didn't believe he was playing T20s. Shane Watson, like an old engine, had starting trouble and then came to a halt early. Faf du Plessis walked in and it seems he tried to make his teammates understand that they were playing T20s and not Tests," said Sehwag in a video on his Instagram account. The Indian opener also joked about MS Dhoni's batting number. "Even then MS Dhoni did not come in to bat. Now, it seems India might get bullet trains before MS Dhoni makes up his mind to bat at No. 4," he joked further.

'India might get bullet trains before MS Dhoni bats at No.4', says Virender Sehwag

<p>Australian women team's Alyssa Healy on Sunday overtook MS Dhoni's record to register most dismissals by a wicketkeeper in T20I format, both in men's and women's cricket.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-shubman-gill-breaks-twin-records-after-match-winning-knock-vs-sunrisers-hyderabad-330629" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Shubman Gill breaks twin records after match-winning knock vs Sunrisers Hyderabad</a></p>

<p>The woman player achieved the feat during the second T20I of the ongoing three-match series against New Zealand at the Allan Border Field.</p>

<p>Australia's Healy has 92 dismissals to her name in 99 T20I innings. Former Indian skipper MS Dhoni has 91 dismissals in 97 innings.</p>

<p>South Africa's Mark Boucher holds the overall record for most dismissals by a wicketkeeper across formats in international cricket. The Proteas has made 998 dismissals in 467 international games. Boucher is followed by Adam Gilchrist (905 in 396 games) and Dhoni (829 in 538 matches).&nbsp;</p>

<p>MS Dhoni announced his retirement from international cricket on August 15 after representing India in 350 ODIs, 90 Tests and 98 T20Is. He holds the record for most international matches as captain (332). The 39-year-old is said to be the quickest man behind the wicket, Dhoni has 195 international stumpings, the most by any wicket-keeper.</p>


Australian women team's Alyssa Healy on Sunday overtook MS Dhoni's record to register most dismissals by a wicketkeeper in T20I format, both in men's and women's cricket.

Australian women team's Alyssa Healy on Sunday overtook MS Dhoni's record to register most dismissals by a wicketkeeper in T20I format, both in men's and women's cricket. Also read: IPL 2020: Shubman Gill breaks twin records after match-winning knock vs Sunrisers Hyderabad The woman player achieved the feat during the second T20I of the ongoing three-match series against New Zealand at the Allan Border Field. Australia's Healy has 92 dismissals to her name in 99 T20I innings. Former Indian skipper MS Dhoni has 91 dismissals in 97 innings. South Africa's Mark Boucher holds the overall record for most dismissals by a wicketkeeper across formats in international cricket. The Proteas has made 998 dismissals in 467 international games. Boucher is followed by Adam Gilchrist (905 in 396 games) and Dhoni (829 in 538 matches). MS Dhoni announced his retirement from international cricket on August 15 after representing India in 350 ODIs, 90 Tests and 98 T20Is. He holds the record for most international matches as captain (332). The 39-year-old is said to be the quickest man behind the wicket, Dhoni has 195 international stumpings, the most by any wicket-keeper.

Australia's Alyssa Healy overtakes MS Dhoni for most dismissals by a wicketkeeper in T20I

<p>With Chennai Super Kings (CSK) losing two matches on the trot in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a> in the UAE, plenty of questions have been raised on the form of players including skipper MS Dhoni. Former Indian cricketer Ajay Jadeja reckons the new generation with remember ‘this MS Dhoni’ which would be sad.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Dhoni, who has led CSK to three IPL trophies, has been criticized for dropping himself low in the batting line-up with experts and fans urging the former Indian skipper to bat higher.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Speaking to Gaurav Kapoor on Cricbuzz, Jadeja expressed his opinion on Dhoni’s batting position as he said 'no battle is won while fighting from the back'.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/will-csk-fans-see-suresh-raina-in-ipl-2020-csk-ceo-gives-an-update-330410" hreflang="en">Will CSK fans see Suresh Raina in IPL 2020? CSK CEO gives an update</a></strong></p>

<p>“I would again same the same thing. I am not happy with MS Dhoni's batting position. No war is won while fighting from behind. There's a saying in the Army that a war concludes when the General steps out,” Jadeja said.</p>

<p>CSK have been hit by the absence of Ambati Rayudu, who was out injured in Super Kings’s last two matches, whereas Suresh Raina had opted out of IPL 2020 due to ‘personal reasons’. However, Jadeja has said that Dhoni needs to take up responsibility and guide his team in difficult times.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-trivia-top-records-of-thala-ms-dhoni-in-the-tournament-328205" hreflang="en">IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament</a></strong></p>

<p>“In cricket, I believe that the one who fights from the front has a better chance of winning the battle. If you have soldiers who can win the battle for you and you can only work towards strategising the war, that's a different scenario. But doesn't look like the case here,” he further said.</p>

<p>“Dhoni has retired from Indian cricket team duty but is still leading CSK. Those kids who have started watching cricket now, would remember the Dhoni they are seeing on the screens, contrary to the great cricketer they were being told about before which is the sad part,” Jadeja asserted.</p>

<p>CSK will now have a week-long break and will return back to the field against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Dubai next week. They will face Kings XI Punjab after SRH.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>


With Chennai Super Kings (CSK) losing two matches on the trot in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 in the UAE, plenty of questions have been raised on the form of players including skipper MS Dhoni.

With Chennai Super Kings (CSK) losing two matches on the trot in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 in the UAE, plenty of questions have been raised on the form of players including skipper MS Dhoni. Former Indian cricketer Ajay Jadeja reckons the new generation with remember ‘this MS Dhoni’ which would be sad. Dhoni, who has led CSK to three IPL trophies, has been criticized for dropping himself low in the batting line-up with experts and fans urging the former Indian skipper to bat higher. Speaking to Gaurav Kapoor on Cricbuzz, Jadeja expressed his opinion on Dhoni’s batting position as he said 'no battle is won while fighting from the back'. ALSO READ: Will CSK fans see Suresh Raina in IPL 2020? CSK CEO gives an update “I would again same the same thing. I am not happy with MS Dhoni's batting position. No war is won while fighting from behind. There's a saying in the Army that a war concludes when the General steps out,” Jadeja said. CSK have been hit by the absence of Ambati Rayudu, who was out injured in Super Kings’s last two matches, whereas Suresh Raina had opted out of IPL 2020 due to ‘personal reasons’. However, Jadeja has said that Dhoni needs to take up responsibility and guide his team in difficult times. ALSO READ: IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament “In cricket, I believe that the one who fights from the front has a better chance of winning the battle. If you have soldiers who can win the battle for you and you can only work towards strategising the war, that's a different scenario. But doesn't look like the case here,” he further said. “Dhoni has retired from Indian cricket team duty but is still leading CSK. Those kids who have started watching cricket now, would remember the Dhoni they are seeing on the screens, contrary to the great cricketer they were being told about before which is the sad part,” Jadeja asserted. CSK will now have a week-long break and will return back to the field against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Dubai next week. They will face Kings XI Punjab after SRH.

IPL 2020: Ajay Jadeja feels new generation remembering 'this MS Dhoni' will be sad

<p>Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have had a horrendous start to their <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a> as the MS Dhoni-led outfit has now lost two of their three games following their crushing 44-run defeat to Delhi Capitals on Friday. MS Dhoni has raised concerns regarding the form and rhythm of the batsmen and openers as he said failure to gain momentum from the start is hurting CSK in IPL 2020.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The likes of Shane Watson and Murali Vijay have failed to impress at the top with no important partnership right at the top for CSK. The scoring rate of top order batsmen, especially openers, have also raised some eyebrows.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“I feel when it comes to the batting department, we are lacking a bit of steam. There is no momentum right from the start, which hurts. If you are already chasing 160-plus, the run-rate keeps mounting and it puts added pressure on the middle-order batsmen. So we need to figure that out,” said Dhoni.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-shaw-and-rabada-shine-as-dc-beat-csk-by-44-runs-330310" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Shaw and Rabada shine as DC beat CSK by 44 runs</a></strong></p>

<p>However, CSK will now have a week-long break before their next game against Sunrisers Hyderabad with the three-time IPL winners likely to have Ambati Rayudu back in the playing XI. Dhoni hinted on change in team combination after Rayudu returns to the team as he said his inclusion gives CSK cushion or liberty to try something different.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We are one batter heavy to start off with but at the same time, if you are looking to get one more seamer or spinner into the side then the batsmen need to take that added pressure. I feel Rayudu will come back in the next game so that gives us some cushion, or liberty of trying something different," he added.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-trivia-top-records-of-thala-ms-dhoni-in-the-tournament-328205" hreflang="en">IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament</a></strong></p>

<p>“I feel the coming seven days are the best break we could have. We'll give the guys a bit more match simulation and come back with a clearer picture as to what is the best combination, looking at how everyone is contributing,” opined the 39-year-old.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have had a horrendous start to their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 as the MS Dhoni-led outfit has now lost two of their three games following their crushing 44-run defeat to Delhi Capitals on Friday.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have had a horrendous start to their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 as the MS Dhoni-led outfit has now lost two of their three games following their crushing 44-run defeat to Delhi Capitals on Friday. MS Dhoni has raised concerns regarding the form and rhythm of the batsmen and openers as he said failure to gain momentum from the start is hurting CSK in IPL 2020. The likes of Shane Watson and Murali Vijay have failed to impress at the top with no important partnership right at the top for CSK. The scoring rate of top order batsmen, especially openers, have also raised some eyebrows. “I feel when it comes to the batting department, we are lacking a bit of steam. There is no momentum right from the start, which hurts. If you are already chasing 160-plus, the run-rate keeps mounting and it puts added pressure on the middle-order batsmen. So we need to figure that out,” said Dhoni. ALSO READ: IPL 2020: Shaw and Rabada shine as DC beat CSK by 44 runs However, CSK will now have a week-long break before their next game against Sunrisers Hyderabad with the three-time IPL winners likely to have Ambati Rayudu back in the playing XI. Dhoni hinted on change in team combination after Rayudu returns to the team as he said his inclusion gives CSK cushion or liberty to try something different. "We are one batter heavy to start off with but at the same time, if you are looking to get one more seamer or spinner into the side then the batsmen need to take that added pressure. I feel Rayudu will come back in the next game so that gives us some cushion, or liberty of trying something different," he added. ALSO READ: IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament “I feel the coming seven days are the best break we could have. We'll give the guys a bit more match simulation and come back with a clearer picture as to what is the best combination, looking at how everyone is contributing,” opined the 39-year-old.

We are lacking a bit of steam: MS Dhoni unhappy with form of CSK openers in IPL 2020

<p>Delhi Capitals go on the top of the table after back to back victories. This time, they beat Chennai Super Kings by 44 runs.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-dc-vs-csk-highlights-delhi-capitals-won-by-44-runs-330206" hreflang="en">IPL 2020, DC vs CSK Highlights: Delhi Capitals won by 44 runs</a></p>

<p>Skippers might rethink about winning the toss and choosing to bowl first. Six matches out of seven were lost by the team&nbsp;batting second.</p>

<p>Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw opened the innings for Delhi Capitals and began very well for the team. They put up a 90-run stand for opening wicket. Shaw's confident batting helped him score 64 runs off 43 balls. He was the best batsman for the Delhi Capitals tonight.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer's brisk partnership powered Delhi Capitals to 175 runs in 20 overs at the loss of 3 wickets.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Chennai Super Kings were off to a poor start. They again lost their openers early. The team solely relied on their in-form Batsman Faf du Plessis, who scored 43 runs off 35 balls before getting out to Kagiso Rabada. His partnership with Jadhav gave CSK some hope to win the match, however, that hope was lost after Jadhav's dismissal. DC bowlers did well to restrict CSK to 131/7 and winning the match by 44 runs.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Prithvi Shaw was declared Player of Match for his brave innings for Delhi Capitals.&nbsp;</p>

<p>MS Dhoni might want Rayudu in his next match to reduce the team's dependency on Faf du Plessis. The Men in Yellow have 6-day break to work on their tactics.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Tomorrow - Kolkata Knight Riders take on Sunrisers Hyderabad in Abu Dhabi.&nbsp;</p>


Delhi Capitals go on the top of the table after back to back victories. This time, they beat Chennai Super Kings by 44 runs. Also read: IPL 2020, DC vs CSK Highlights: Delhi Capitals won by 44 runs Skippers might rethink about winning the toss and choosing to bowl first.

Delhi Capitals go on the top of the table after back to back victories. This time, they beat Chennai Super Kings by 44 runs. Also read: IPL 2020, DC vs CSK Highlights: Delhi Capitals won by 44 runs Skippers might rethink about winning the toss and choosing to bowl first. Six matches out of seven were lost by the team batting second. Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw opened the innings for Delhi Capitals and began very well for the team. They put up a 90-run stand for opening wicket. Shaw's confident batting helped him score 64 runs off 43 balls. He was the best batsman for the Delhi Capitals tonight. Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer's brisk partnership powered Delhi Capitals to 175 runs in 20 overs at the loss of 3 wickets. Chennai Super Kings were off to a poor start. They again lost their openers early. The team solely relied on their in-form Batsman Faf du Plessis, who scored 43 runs off 35 balls before getting out to Kagiso Rabada. His partnership with Jadhav gave CSK some hope to win the match, however, that hope was lost after Jadhav's dismissal. DC bowlers did well to restrict CSK to 131/7 and winning the match by 44 runs. Prithvi Shaw was declared Player of Match for his brave innings for Delhi Capitals. MS Dhoni might want Rayudu in his next match to reduce the team's dependency on Faf du Plessis. The Men in Yellow have 6-day break to work on their tactics. Tomorrow - Kolkata Knight Riders take on Sunrisers Hyderabad in Abu Dhabi.

IPL 2020: Shaw and Rabada shine as DC beat CSK by 44 runs

<p>CSK vs DC Preview IPL 2020 - Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are set to lock horns with Delhi Capitals (DC) in the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai as the action continues in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL)</a>. While CSK have won one while losing their other encounter, DC started their IPL 2020 campaign with a nail-biting win against Kings XI Punjab in Super Over.</p>

<p>CSK are looking to get back to winning ways following a crushing defeat to Royal Challengers Bangalore in their second match after winning their season opener against Mumbai Indians. Whereas DC will look to continue their winning run after registering their first win in their opener against KXIP.</p>

<p>The pitch in Dubai has already hosted a handful of games and spinners are likely to come into the game. The average score in Dubai is around 160-170, however, if the batting team gets going then they would be able to post a score somewhere around 190-200 similar to what KXIP did against RCB.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/have-to-take-the-brunt-of-it-virat-kohli-reacts-to-rcbs-crushing-defeat-to-kxip-in-ipl-2020-330128" hreflang="en">Have to take the brunt of it: Virat Kohli reacts to RCB's crushing defeat to KXIP in IPL 2020</a></strong></p>

<p>Ravichandran Ashwin is likely to be available for the DC against CSK after the veteran spinner took part in training on Thursday. However, Ambati Rayudu and Dwayne Bravo are set to miss the action again due to their niggles.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>CSK vs DC: Head-to-Head stats</h2>

<p>Talking about head-to-head-stats, Chennai Super Kings have dominated the encounters against Delhi Capitals with the MS Dhoni-led outfit winning 15 of their 21 clashes. Whereas DC have won just six of their games against CSK.</p>

<p>CSK hold the record of most-run scored against DC at 222/5 while MS Dhoni lead the run-scoring charts when it comes to matches between CSK and DC. Dhoni has accumulated as many as 529 runs while Dwayne Bravo is the leading wicket-taker with 15 scalps.</p>

<p>Faf du Plessis is 17 away, and Ravindra Jadeja 62, from 2,000 runs in IPL.</p>

<p><strong>IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-2020-action-in-pictures-as-grand-festival-of-cricket-starts-in-uae-328877" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Action in pictures as 'grand festival' of cricket starts in UAE</a></strong></p>

<h2><strong>CSK vs DC, IPL 2020 Squads:</strong></h2>

<p><strong>Delhi Capitals Squad:</strong> Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Shimron Hetmyer, Shreyas Iyer(c), Rishabh Pant(w), Marcus Stoinis, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Mohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Amit Mishra, Harshal Patel, Alex Carey, Avesh Khan, Sandeep Lamichhane, Keemo Paul, Tushar Deshpande, Daniel Sams, Lalit Yadav</p>

<p><strong>Chennai Super Kings Squad:</strong> Murali Vijay, Shane Watson, Faf du Plessis, Sam Curran, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni(w/c), Ravindra Jadeja, Deepak Chahar, Piyush Chawla, Lungi Ngidi, Karn Sharma, Josh Hazlewood, Imran Tahir, Shardul Thakur, Monu Kumar, Mitchell Santner, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, N Jagadeesan, KM Asif</p>


CSK vs DC Preview IPL 2020 - Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are set to lock horns with Delhi Capitals (DC) in the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai as the action continues in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

CSK vs DC Preview IPL 2020 - Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are set to lock horns with Delhi Capitals (DC) in the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai as the action continues in the Indian Premier League (IPL). While CSK have won one while losing their other encounter, DC started their IPL 2020 campaign with a nail-biting win against Kings XI Punjab in Super Over. CSK are looking to get back to winning ways following a crushing defeat to Royal Challengers Bangalore in their second match after winning their season opener against Mumbai Indians. Whereas DC will look to continue their winning run after registering their first win in their opener against KXIP. The pitch in Dubai has already hosted a handful of games and spinners are likely to come into the game. The average score in Dubai is around 160-170, however, if the batting team gets going then they would be able to post a score somewhere around 190-200 similar to what KXIP did against RCB. ALSO READ: Have to take the brunt of it: Virat Kohli reacts to RCB's crushing defeat to KXIP in IPL 2020 Ravichandran Ashwin is likely to be available for the DC against CSK after the veteran spinner took part in training on Thursday. However, Ambati Rayudu and Dwayne Bravo are set to miss the action again due to their niggles. CSK vs DC: Head-to-Head stats Talking about head-to-head-stats, Chennai Super Kings have dominated the encounters against Delhi Capitals with the MS Dhoni-led outfit winning 15 of their 21 clashes. Whereas DC have won just six of their games against CSK. CSK hold the record of most-run scored against DC at 222/5 while MS Dhoni lead the run-scoring charts when it comes to matches between CSK and DC. Dhoni has accumulated as many as 529 runs while Dwayne Bravo is the leading wicket-taker with 15 scalps. Faf du Plessis is 17 away, and Ravindra Jadeja 62, from 2,000 runs in IPL. IN PICS | IPL 2020: Action in pictures as 'grand festival' of cricket starts in UAE CSK vs DC, IPL 2020 Squads: Delhi Capitals Squad: Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Shimron Hetmyer, Shreyas Iyer(c), Rishabh Pant(w), Marcus Stoinis, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Mohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Amit Mishra, Harshal Patel, Alex Carey, Avesh Khan, Sandeep Lamichhane, Keemo Paul, Tushar Deshpande, Daniel Sams, Lalit Yadav Chennai Super Kings Squad: Murali Vijay, Shane Watson, Faf du Plessis, Sam Curran, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni(w/c), Ravindra Jadeja, Deepak Chahar, Piyush Chawla, Lungi Ngidi, Karn Sharma, Josh Hazlewood, Imran Tahir, Shardul Thakur, Monu Kumar, Mitchell Santner, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, N Jagadeesan, KM Asif

IPL 2020, CSK vs DC Preview: MS Dhoni's Chennai look for momentum against Iyer's Delhi

<p>It will take some time to see MS Dhoni - the finisher, that everyone is waiting for, says Chennai Super Kings head coach Stephen Fleming</p>

<p>As his side fell short in its run chase against Rajasthan Royals despite having the former India captain at the crease.</p>

<p>Dhoni came out to bat at number seven in Tuesday's match and took time to settle down before unleashing his powerful shots. By the time he found his range, he did not have much balls at his disposal to knock off the required runs.</p>

<p>They eventually lost the match by 16 runs with Dhoni staying unbeaten on 29 off 17 balls.</p>

<p>Dhoni argued that the extended two-week quarantine of his side hampered his preparations as he did not get enough time for practice.</p>

<p>"We have this question every year. He was in in the 14th over, which is pretty much optimal time, and sort of batted accordingly. He is coming back from not playing a huge amount of cricket," Fleming said at the post-match press conference.</p>

<p>"So, the expectations to see him at his best is gonna take some time. But you see him towards the end, he was very good. Faf du Plessis carried the form, so we weren't too far away. It wasn't the batting that was the worry to be honest."</p>

<p>Dhoni sent the likes of Sam Curran and Kedar Jadhav ahead of him.</p>

<p>Asked about the rationale behind the move, the former New Zealand captain said, "MS is a specialist towards the end of the innings, always has been. Curran was there trying to hit and keep us in the game at that point when we were falling behind. He's got good hitting power like we saw."</p>

<p>"Ruturaj...It was his first game and we wanted to get him into the game into the order. We wanted to be aggressive, we've got a long batting order and we're just trying to use our resources smartly."</p>

<p>Fleming said his spinners were slow in adjusting the length of their deliveries (they bowled overpitched). Sanju Samson (74) was on fire against their spinners.</p>

<p>"Their (RR) hitting was very good in the 8 overs they faced. It was a good surface (to bat) and we were slow on adjusting. We did not adjust quickly. There was intent to adjust but execution was poor.</p>

<p>"So it was dangerous time and we had to just hang in there and try. We came close to pulling back to a manageable score but that last over took us out of reach."</p>

<p>Royals' tail-ender Jofra Archer hit Lungi Ngidi four sixes in the final over which yielded 30 runs to take the total to 216 for 7.</p>

<p>Royals' captain Steve Smith said Samson's brilliant performance has given him more options at top of the order.</p>

<p>"Samson takes the game head on and he hit some seriously good sixes. He has a positive intent and my role was to give him more strike. Fortunately it worked well," Smith, who was playing his first match after suffering concussion related issues in the United Kingdom, said.</p>

<p>"It gives more options. Samson played incredibly well. It seems everything he was hitting was going for a six. It was a serious innings. Jos (Buttler) coming for next game it is a big plus for us. Jofra (Archer) at the back end was absolutely amazing."</p>

<p>The star Australian batsman, however, said that Buttler is likely to bat as opener in their next game.</p>

<p>"We will wait and see. It gives options, does not it. We will do what we think is the best. Jos obviously has an incredible record on top. He probably slots himself back and it gives options for sure."</p>

<p>Talking about Jofra's batting heroics, Smith said, "Jofra at the end was magnificent, getting us up to that total. He loves batting, he is a terrific player for us and did well with the ball as well."</p>


It will take some time to see MS Dhoni - the finisher, that everyone is waiting for, says Chennai Super Kings head coach Stephen Fleming As his side fell short in its run chase against Rajasthan Royals despite having the former India captain at the crease.

It will take some time to see MS Dhoni - the finisher, that everyone is waiting for, says Chennai Super Kings head coach Stephen Fleming As his side fell short in its run chase against Rajasthan Royals despite having the former India captain at the crease. Dhoni came out to bat at number seven in Tuesday's match and took time to settle down before unleashing his powerful shots. By the time he found his range, he did not have much balls at his disposal to knock off the required runs. They eventually lost the match by 16 runs with Dhoni staying unbeaten on 29 off 17 balls. Dhoni argued that the extended two-week quarantine of his side hampered his preparations as he did not get enough time for practice. "We have this question every year. He was in in the 14th over, which is pretty much optimal time, and sort of batted accordingly. He is coming back from not playing a huge amount of cricket," Fleming said at the post-match press conference. "So, the expectations to see him at his best is gonna take some time. But you see him towards the end, he was very good. Faf du Plessis carried the form, so we weren't too far away. It wasn't the batting that was the worry to be honest." Dhoni sent the likes of Sam Curran and Kedar Jadhav ahead of him. Asked about the rationale behind the move, the former New Zealand captain said, "MS is a specialist towards the end of the innings, always has been. Curran was there trying to hit and keep us in the game at that point when we were falling behind. He's got good hitting power like we saw." "Ruturaj...It was his first game and we wanted to get him into the game into the order. We wanted to be aggressive, we've got a long batting order and we're just trying to use our resources smartly." Fleming said his spinners were slow in adjusting the length of their deliveries (they bowled overpitched). Sanju Samson (74) was on fire against their spinners. "Their (RR) hitting was very good in the 8 overs they faced. It was a good surface (to bat) and we were slow on adjusting. We did not adjust quickly. There was intent to adjust but execution was poor. "So it was dangerous time and we had to just hang in there and try. We came close to pulling back to a manageable score but that last over took us out of reach." Royals' tail-ender Jofra Archer hit Lungi Ngidi four sixes in the final over which yielded 30 runs to take the total to 216 for 7. Royals' captain Steve Smith said Samson's brilliant performance has given him more options at top of the order. "Samson takes the game head on and he hit some seriously good sixes. He has a positive intent and my role was to give him more strike. Fortunately it worked well," Smith, who was playing his first match after suffering concussion related issues in the United Kingdom, said. "It gives more options. Samson played incredibly well. It seems everything he was hitting was going for a six. It was a serious innings. Jos (Buttler) coming for next game it is a big plus for us. Jofra (Archer) at the back end was absolutely amazing." The star Australian batsman, however, said that Buttler is likely to bat as opener in their next game. "We will wait and see. It gives options, does not it. We will do what we think is the best. Jos obviously has an incredible record on top. He probably slots himself back and it gives options for sure." Talking about Jofra's batting heroics, Smith said, "Jofra at the end was magnificent, getting us up to that total. He loves batting, he is a terrific player for us and did well with the ball as well."

IPL 2020: It will take some time to Dhoni at his best, says Fleming

<p>Rajasthan Royals (RR) on Tuesday defeated Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Sharjah by 16 runs as fingers were pointed towards MS Dhoni for coming down to bat at number seven despite his team chasing a mammoth 217-run target in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a>.</p>

<p>Dhoni promoted the likes of Sam Curran, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Kedar Jadhav ahead of him but the moves failed piling pressure on the likes of Faf du Plessis and Dhoni later in the batting order. Former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir has slammed Dhoni for coming to bat so low in the order as he said ‘Thala’ should be leading his troops from the front.</p>

<p>Gambhir further lashed out at Dhoni for reading the game wrong as he said those last three sixes in the last over were of no use for CSK and they were all personal runs.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-it-will-take-some-time-to-dhoni-at-his-best-says-fleming-329596" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: It will take some time to Dhoni at his best, says Fleming</a></strong></p>

<h2>Makes no sense to me: Gambhir on Dhoni batting at No. 7</h2>

<p>"I was a bit surprised to be honest," Gambhir said in ESPNCricinfo’s T20 Time Out. "MS Dhoni batting at No. 7? And sending [Ruturaj] Gaikwad before him, Sam Curran before him. Makes no sense to me. In fact you should be leading from the front. And this is not what you call leading from the front. Batting at No. 7 when you're chasing what... 213 [217]? The game was over. Faf was probably the lone warrior.</p>

<p>"Yes, you can talk about MS Dhoni's last over [when he hit three sixes], but it was of no use to be honest. It was just all personal runs."</p>

<p><strong>IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-trivia-top-records-of-thala-ms-dhoni-in-the-tournament-328205" hreflang="en">IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament</a></strong></p>

<p>"There is nothing wrong if you end up getting out early, at least start leading from the front, trying t inspire the team as well."<br />
Dhoni after putting his hopes on singles and doubles, freed his arms in the final over but it was too little too late for Super Kings as they needed more than 36 runs to win in the final over. Gambhir, speaking of Dhoni’s intent, said other captains, in place of Dhoni, would have received a lot of flak.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-samsons-power-hitting-helps-rajasthan-royals-beat-chennai-super-kings-by-16-runs-329549" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Samson's power hitting helps Rajasthan Royals beat Chennai Super Kings by 16 runs</a></strong></p>

<p>"See, if someone else would have done this, some other [batsman] captain had batted No. 7, he would have got a lot of flak. It is MS Dhoni - probably why people don't talk about it," Gambhir said. "When you don't have Suresh Raina, you're making people believe that Sam Curran is better than you. You're making people believe that Ruturaj Gaikwad, Curran, Kedar Jadhav, Faf du Plessis, M Vijay, all these guys, are better than you."</p>

<p>Chennai Super Kings have won one while losing their other contest in their two matches so far in IPL 2020.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Rajasthan Royals (RR) on Tuesday defeated Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Sharjah by 16 runs as fingers were pointed towards MS Dhoni for coming down to bat at number seven despite his team chasing a mammoth 217-run target in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020.

Rajasthan Royals (RR) on Tuesday defeated Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Sharjah by 16 runs as fingers were pointed towards MS Dhoni for coming down to bat at number seven despite his team chasing a mammoth 217-run target in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020. Dhoni promoted the likes of Sam Curran, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Kedar Jadhav ahead of him but the moves failed piling pressure on the likes of Faf du Plessis and Dhoni later in the batting order. Former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir has slammed Dhoni for coming to bat so low in the order as he said ‘Thala’ should be leading his troops from the front. Gambhir further lashed out at Dhoni for reading the game wrong as he said those last three sixes in the last over were of no use for CSK and they were all personal runs. ALSO READ: IPL 2020: It will take some time to Dhoni at his best, says Fleming Makes no sense to me: Gambhir on Dhoni batting at No. 7 "I was a bit surprised to be honest," Gambhir said in ESPNCricinfo’s T20 Time Out. "MS Dhoni batting at No. 7? And sending [Ruturaj] Gaikwad before him, Sam Curran before him. Makes no sense to me. In fact you should be leading from the front. And this is not what you call leading from the front. Batting at No. 7 when you're chasing what... 213 [217]? The game was over. Faf was probably the lone warrior. "Yes, you can talk about MS Dhoni's last over [when he hit three sixes], but it was of no use to be honest. It was just all personal runs." IN PICS | IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament "There is nothing wrong if you end up getting out early, at least start leading from the front, trying t inspire the team as well." Dhoni after putting his hopes on singles and doubles, freed his arms in the final over but it was too little too late for Super Kings as they needed more than 36 runs to win in the final over. Gambhir, speaking of Dhoni’s intent, said other captains, in place of Dhoni, would have received a lot of flak. ALSO READ: IPL 2020: Samson's power hitting helps Rajasthan Royals beat Chennai Super Kings by 16 runs "See, if someone else would have done this, some other [batsman] captain had batted No. 7, he would have got a lot of flak. It is MS Dhoni - probably why people don't talk about it," Gambhir said. "When you don't have Suresh Raina, you're making people believe that Sam Curran is better than you. You're making people believe that Ruturaj Gaikwad, Curran, Kedar Jadhav, Faf du Plessis, M Vijay, all these guys, are better than you." Chennai Super Kings have won one while losing their other contest in their two matches so far in IPL 2020.

Makes no sense to me: Gautam Gambhir slams MS Dhoni for batting at No. 7 vs RR

<p>Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Tuesday lost their second game of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a> by 16 runs against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Sharjah fans got a glimpse of the MS Dhoni’s power-hitting. While plenty of debates surrounding Dhoni’s batting position and his intent are going on, the Super Kings skipper smashed three consecutive sixes out of the park in the final over of the match as he brutally hammered Tom Curran.</p>

<p>It may have been the case of too little too late for Dhoni and Chennai Super Kings but the bat flow, timing and pure power was back. The second six was so fiercely hit that the ball sailed out of the stadium, travelled across the road, where a passer-by found the ball only to take it with himself. The ball was replaced.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-trivia-top-records-of-thala-ms-dhoni-in-the-tournament-328205" hreflang="en">IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament</a></strong></p>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">He's one lucky man.<br />
<br />
Look who has the ball that was hit for a six by MS Dhoni.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dream11IPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Dream11IPL</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RRvCSK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RRvCSK</a> <a href="https://t.co/yg2g1VuLDG">pic.twitter.com/yg2g1VuLDG</a></p>
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1308472370068299776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 22, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>While Dhoni may be central to some flak by fans and pundits for coming too low in the batting order and playing a bit slow in his first 10 deliveries, CSK head coach Stephen Fleming, after the match, said that the veteran stumper will take some time to be back to his best.</p>

<h3>WATCH: MS Dhoni slams 3 sixes in a row against Tom Curran in CSK vs RR match</h3>

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<p>This was Dhoni’s second match in IPL 2020 after a break of more than a year. His last match for Team India was in the semi-final of ICC World Cup 2019. On August 15, he announced his retirement from international cricket.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/makes-no-sense-to-me-gautam-gambhir-slams-ms-dhoni-for-batting-at-no-7-vs-rr-329604" hreflang="en">Makes no sense to me: Gautam Gambhir slams MS Dhoni for batting at No. 7 vs RR</a></strong></p>

<p><strong>Here’s what Dhoni said in the post-match presentation: "</strong>With 217 on the board, we needed a very good start which was not the case. Steve and Samson batted very well. Need to give credit to their bowlers. Once you've seen the first innings, you know the length to bowl. Their spinners did well to bowl away from the batsman. Our spinners made the error to bowl too full. If we would've maybe restricted them to 200, it would've been a good game. I haven't batted for a long time. 14-day quarantine doesn't help (why he isn't batting higher). Also wanted to try different things, give opportunities to Sam. Have the opportunity to try different things. If it doesn't work, you can always go back to your strengths. Faf adapted very well. Something the batsmen will do, neglect square leg and go more towards long-on and long-off."<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Tuesday lost their second game of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 by 16 runs against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Sharjah fans got a glimpse of the MS Dhoni’s power-hitting.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Tuesday lost their second game of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 by 16 runs against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Sharjah fans got a glimpse of the MS Dhoni’s power-hitting. While plenty of debates surrounding Dhoni’s batting position and his intent are going on, the Super Kings skipper smashed three consecutive sixes out of the park in the final over of the match as he brutally hammered Tom Curran. It may have been the case of too little too late for Dhoni and Chennai Super Kings but the bat flow, timing and pure power was back. The second six was so fiercely hit that the ball sailed out of the stadium, travelled across the road, where a passer-by found the ball only to take it with himself. The ball was replaced. IN PICS | IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament He's one lucky man. Look who has the ball that was hit for a six by MS Dhoni.#Dream11IPL #RRvCSK pic.twitter.com/yg2g1VuLDG — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) September 22, 2020 × While Dhoni may be central to some flak by fans and pundits for coming too low in the batting order and playing a bit slow in his first 10 deliveries, CSK head coach Stephen Fleming, after the match, said that the veteran stumper will take some time to be back to his best. WATCH: MS Dhoni slams 3 sixes in a row against Tom Curran in CSK vs RR match × This was Dhoni’s second match in IPL 2020 after a break of more than a year. His last match for Team India was in the semi-final of ICC World Cup 2019. On August 15, he announced his retirement from international cricket. ALSO READ: Makes no sense to me: Gautam Gambhir slams MS Dhoni for batting at No. 7 vs RR Here’s what Dhoni said in the post-match presentation: "With 217 on the board, we needed a very good start which was not the case. Steve and Samson batted very well. Need to give credit to their bowlers. Once you've seen the first innings, you know the length to bowl. Their spinners did well to bowl away from the batsman. Our spinners made the error to bowl too full. If we would've maybe restricted them to 200, it would've been a good game. I haven't batted for a long time. 14-day quarantine doesn't help (why he isn't batting higher). Also wanted to try different things, give opportunities to Sam. Have the opportunity to try different things. If it doesn't work, you can always go back to your strengths. Faf adapted very well. Something the batsmen will do, neglect square leg and go more towards long-on and long-off."

Watch: MS Dhoni smashes three sixes in final over as ball lands outside the stadium

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<p>Rajasthan Royals, led by Steve Smiths, will hope to begin their IPL 2020 campaign with a win as they take on Chennai Super Kings at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>IN PICS|&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-2020-action-in-pictures-as-grand-festival-of-cricket-starts-in-uae-328877" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Action in pictures as 'grand festival' of cricket starts in UAE</a></p>

<p>Chennai Super Kings began their IPL campaign with a five-wicket win against defending champions Mumbai Indians on Saturday.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-after-preity-ness-wadia-reacts-to-short-run-controversy-during-kxip-vs-dc-329288" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: After Preity, Ness Wadia reacts to 'short run' controversy during KXIP vs DC</a></p>

<p>Royals will pose a tough challenge to Dhoni and Co. this year, despite having a poor run last season. Cricketing stalwarts like Steve Smith, Jofra Archer and Jos Buttler have been in the top form currently and will be an asset to the Royals tonight. However, Buttler will be missing out the opening match.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The squad of Rajasthan Royals include Robin Uthappa, who could replace Buttler and is one fifty shy from getting 25 half-centuries in the Indian Premier League. Yashasvi Jaiswal will be the young gun to watch out for. Jaiswal was the leading run-getter during India’s run to the final of the Under 19 World Cup earlier in the year. He also remains the youngest Indian to score a double ton in List A cricket. He might even open the innings for Royals. Sanju Samson has been in top form for Royals in yesteryears, he will be expected to perform well this year too.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In terms of hard-hitters, David Miller and all-rounder Tom Curran could be a part of the playing XI tonight.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Chennai Super Kings players are confident after their latest win over Mumbai Indians. Ambati Rayudu and Faf du Plessis have been in top form and scored half-centuries in the previous match. Dhoni's form with the bat is still not known as he did not play many balls last match. Jadeja, Ngidi and Chahar are expected to lead CSK's bowling department. According to coach Stephen Fleming, Bravo will be missing this match too.</p>

<h2><strong>STATS</strong></h2>

<p>In the last five matches between the two sides, CSK have beaten RR 4-1.</p>

<h2><strong>MILESTONE ALERT</strong></h2>

<p>CSK skipper MS Dhoni needs 68 more runs to complete 4500 IPL runs. RR player David Miller needs one catch to complete 50 IPL catches. CSK duo Shane Watson and Ambati Rayudu need 43 and 45 runs respectively to complete 1000 IPL runs for Chennai Super Kings.</p>

<h2>Expected Playing XI</h2>

<p><strong>Chennai Super Kings:&nbsp;</strong>Murali Vijay, Shane Watson, Faf du Plessis, Ambati Rayudu, Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni (c &amp; wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, Deepak Chahar, Piyush Chawla, Lungi Ngidi</p>

<p><strong>Rajasthan Royals:&nbsp;</strong>Yashasvi Jaiswal, Robin Uthappa, Steve Smith (c), David Miller, Sanju Samson (wk), Tom Curran, Riyan Parag, Shreyas Gopal, Jofra Archer, Jaydev Unadkat, Ankit Rajpoot</p>


Rajasthan Royals, led by Steve Smiths, will hope to begin their IPL 2020 campaign with a win as they take on Chennai Super Kings at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.

Rajasthan Royals, led by Steve Smiths, will hope to begin their IPL 2020 campaign with a win as they take on Chennai Super Kings at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Tuesday. IN PICS| IPL 2020: Action in pictures as 'grand festival' of cricket starts in UAE Chennai Super Kings began their IPL campaign with a five-wicket win against defending champions Mumbai Indians on Saturday. Also read: IPL 2020: After Preity, Ness Wadia reacts to 'short run' controversy during KXIP vs DC Royals will pose a tough challenge to Dhoni and Co. this year, despite having a poor run last season. Cricketing stalwarts like Steve Smith, Jofra Archer and Jos Buttler have been in the top form currently and will be an asset to the Royals tonight. However, Buttler will be missing out the opening match. The squad of Rajasthan Royals include Robin Uthappa, who could replace Buttler and is one fifty shy from getting 25 half-centuries in the Indian Premier League. Yashasvi Jaiswal will be the young gun to watch out for. Jaiswal was the leading run-getter during India’s run to the final of the Under 19 World Cup earlier in the year. He also remains the youngest Indian to score a double ton in List A cricket. He might even open the innings for Royals. Sanju Samson has been in top form for Royals in yesteryears, he will be expected to perform well this year too. In terms of hard-hitters, David Miller and all-rounder Tom Curran could be a part of the playing XI tonight. Chennai Super Kings players are confident after their latest win over Mumbai Indians. Ambati Rayudu and Faf du Plessis have been in top form and scored half-centuries in the previous match. Dhoni's form with the bat is still not known as he did not play many balls last match. Jadeja, Ngidi and Chahar are expected to lead CSK's bowling department. According to coach Stephen Fleming, Bravo will be missing this match too. STATS In the last five matches between the two sides, CSK have beaten RR 4-1. MILESTONE ALERT CSK skipper MS Dhoni needs 68 more runs to complete 4500 IPL runs. RR player David Miller needs one catch to complete 50 IPL catches. CSK duo Shane Watson and Ambati Rayudu need 43 and 45 runs respectively to complete 1000 IPL runs for Chennai Super Kings. Expected Playing XI Chennai Super Kings: Murali Vijay, Shane Watson, Faf du Plessis, Ambati Rayudu, Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni (c & wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, Deepak Chahar, Piyush Chawla, Lungi Ngidi Rajasthan Royals: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Robin Uthappa, Steve Smith (c), David Miller, Sanju Samson (wk), Tom Curran, Riyan Parag, Shreyas Gopal, Jofra Archer, Jaydev Unadkat, Ankit Rajpoot

IPL 2020- Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings: Preview, stats, players to watchout for

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<p>Chennai Super Kings beat Mumbai Indians by five wickets with three balls to spare in the season-opener of Indian Premier League. The win comes after facing five consecutive defeats by the hands of Mumbai Indians.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-mi-vs-csk-highlights-chennai-super-kings-beat-mumbai-indians-by-5-wickets-328660">IPL 2020, MI vs CSK Highlights: Chennai Super Kings beat Mumbai Indians</a></p>

<h2><strong>Toss</strong></h2>

<p>Chennai, led by MS Dhoni, won the toss and chose to bowl first. MI skipper Rohit Sharma and Quinton de Kock opened Mumbai's innings.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>First Innings</strong></h2>

<p>The first ball of this year's Indian Premier League was smashed for four runs by Rohit Sharma, and the opening pair began their innings with a flier. However, after a few overs, Rohit Sharma succumbed to Piyush Chawla's delivery exposing his weakness of facing off-spin bowlers. Quinton de Kock on the other hand looked in good touch, but he too was removed by Sam Curran. Suryakumar Yadav was looking to continue his prolific run in the IPL but failed as he got out on 14 runs off Deepak Chahar's delivery.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-ms-dhonis-thala-beard-takes-the-social-media-by-storm-328690" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: MS Dhoni's 'Thala' beard takes the social media by storm</a></p>

<p>Saurabh Tiwary was a surprise pick for the Mumbai Indians and gave the strongest performance for the team during the first innings. Tiwary scored 42 runs off 31 balls which included three boundaries and one six.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Hardik Pandya was off to a promising start after he smashed Ravindra Jadeja for two consecutive sixes. But, he got out after a stunning catch by du Plessis.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Pollard, Krunal and Pattinson got out on 18, 3, 11 respectively. Mumbai's innings ended with 162 runs at the loss of 9 wickets.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Second Innings</strong></h2>

<p>Chennai had a terrible start as their openers (Shane Watson and Murali Vijay) got out cheaply. However, Ambati Rayudu and Faf du Plessis controlled the innings and stabilized the chase for the Chennai Super Kings. A 100-run partnership between the two was a fatal blow for the Mumbai Indians. Rayudu scored 71 runs, whereas, Faf scored 58. After Rayudu's dismissal, Jadeja arrived on the crease but was dismissed cheaply. Sam Curran's (18 runs off 6 balls) cameo sealed the deal for CSK.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Faf scored 58 runs off 44 balls. Ambati Rayudu was declared the man of the match.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Delhi Capitals will take on Kings XI Punjab on Sunday. Stay tuned for live updates.</p>


Chennai Super Kings beat Mumbai Indians by five wickets with three balls to spare in the season-opener of Indian Premier League. The win comes after facing five consecutive defeats by the hands of Mumbai Indians.

Chennai Super Kings beat Mumbai Indians by five wickets with three balls to spare in the season-opener of Indian Premier League. The win comes after facing five consecutive defeats by the hands of Mumbai Indians. Also read: IPL 2020, MI vs CSK Highlights: Chennai Super Kings beat Mumbai Indians Toss Chennai, led by MS Dhoni, won the toss and chose to bowl first. MI skipper Rohit Sharma and Quinton de Kock opened Mumbai's innings. First Innings The first ball of this year's Indian Premier League was smashed for four runs by Rohit Sharma, and the opening pair began their innings with a flier. However, after a few overs, Rohit Sharma succumbed to Piyush Chawla's delivery exposing his weakness of facing off-spin bowlers. Quinton de Kock on the other hand looked in good touch, but he too was removed by Sam Curran. Suryakumar Yadav was looking to continue his prolific run in the IPL but failed as he got out on 14 runs off Deepak Chahar's delivery. Also read: IPL 2020: MS Dhoni's 'Thala' beard takes the social media by storm Saurabh Tiwary was a surprise pick for the Mumbai Indians and gave the strongest performance for the team during the first innings. Tiwary scored 42 runs off 31 balls which included three boundaries and one six. Hardik Pandya was off to a promising start after he smashed Ravindra Jadeja for two consecutive sixes. But, he got out after a stunning catch by du Plessis. Pollard, Krunal and Pattinson got out on 18, 3, 11 respectively. Mumbai's innings ended with 162 runs at the loss of 9 wickets. Second Innings Chennai had a terrible start as their openers (Shane Watson and Murali Vijay) got out cheaply. However, Ambati Rayudu and Faf du Plessis controlled the innings and stabilized the chase for the Chennai Super Kings. A 100-run partnership between the two was a fatal blow for the Mumbai Indians. Rayudu scored 71 runs, whereas, Faf scored 58. After Rayudu's dismissal, Jadeja arrived on the crease but was dismissed cheaply. Sam Curran's (18 runs off 6 balls) cameo sealed the deal for CSK. Faf scored 58 runs off 44 balls. Ambati Rayudu was declared the man of the match. Delhi Capitals will take on Kings XI Punjab on Sunday. Stay tuned for live updates.

IPL 2020: Rayudu shines as Chennai Super Kings beat Mumbai Indians by 5 wickets

<p>Chennai Super Kings skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has heaped praise on the experienced players in his side after they toppled defending champions Mumbai Indians in the opening match of the Indian Premier League.</p>

<p>South African veteran Faf du Plessis smashed an unbeaten 58 to guide Chennai to a five-wicket win, chasing Mumbai's 162 in Abu Dhabi as glitzy Twenty20 tournament started months late because of the coronavirus pandemic.</p>

<p>Once labelled "The Dads Army" by the media, Chennai have a number of players over the age of 35, including Dhoni, Australia's Shane Watson, du Plessis and South African Imran Tahir.</p>

<p>But Dhoni said that kind of experience would always be an asset to any team, with the perfect side needing the "right mix of youngsters and the experienced players".</p>

<p>"What really helps youngsters in (the) IPL is the fact senior cricketers (come) from... different countries and they have their own experience," said Dhoni, who retired from international cricket last month.</p>

<p>"So that way we are blessed to have the senior cricketers who are part of the team."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">'An amazing job by each an every individual who is a part of the IPL,' MS Dhoni on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dream11IPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Dream11IPL</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MIvCSK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MIvCSK</a> <a href="https://t.co/xcvyZzLs6I">pic.twitter.com/xcvyZzLs6I</a></p>
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1307390520222609408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 19, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Dhoni added that players with more than 300 one-day internationals under their belt have built up the kind of experience that is difficult to accumulate.</p>

<p>"You need a number of years to play those," said the Indian star.</p>

<p>"And now with three ODIs a series, 300 ODIs is a dream for anybody to play."</p>

<p>Du Plessis smashed six boundaries in his 44-ball stay including a 115-run partnership with 34-year-old Ambati Rayudu, who hit 71, to help the three-time IPL winners chase the target with four balls to spare.</p>

<p>England's Sam Curran smashed 18 off six balls after the 22-year-old all-rounder was sent ahead of Dhoni in a move that surprised many.</p>

<p>But Curran's hitting affirmed Dhoni's faith in him.</p>

<p>"That's one thing we haven't done," Dhoni said, referring to experimenting with the batting order.</p>

<p>"At some point... we need to give (Ravindra) Jadeja and somebody like Sam to express themselves."</p>

<p>The 53-day IPL is being held in the United Arab Emirates this year because of concerns about the spread of the coronavirus in India, which has the second-highest number of known infections in the world.</p>


Chennai Super Kings skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has heaped praise on the experienced players in his side after they toppled defending champions Mumbai Indians in the opening match of the Indian Premier League.

Chennai Super Kings skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has heaped praise on the experienced players in his side after they toppled defending champions Mumbai Indians in the opening match of the Indian Premier League. South African veteran Faf du Plessis smashed an unbeaten 58 to guide Chennai to a five-wicket win, chasing Mumbai's 162 in Abu Dhabi as glitzy Twenty20 tournament started months late because of the coronavirus pandemic. Once labelled "The Dads Army" by the media, Chennai have a number of players over the age of 35, including Dhoni, Australia's Shane Watson, du Plessis and South African Imran Tahir. But Dhoni said that kind of experience would always be an asset to any team, with the perfect side needing the "right mix of youngsters and the experienced players". "What really helps youngsters in (the) IPL is the fact senior cricketers (come) from... different countries and they have their own experience," said Dhoni, who retired from international cricket last month. "So that way we are blessed to have the senior cricketers who are part of the team." 'An amazing job by each an every individual who is a part of the IPL,' MS Dhoni on #Dream11IPL #MIvCSK pic.twitter.com/xcvyZzLs6I — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) September 19, 2020 × Dhoni added that players with more than 300 one-day internationals under their belt have built up the kind of experience that is difficult to accumulate. "You need a number of years to play those," said the Indian star. "And now with three ODIs a series, 300 ODIs is a dream for anybody to play." Du Plessis smashed six boundaries in his 44-ball stay including a 115-run partnership with 34-year-old Ambati Rayudu, who hit 71, to help the three-time IPL winners chase the target with four balls to spare. England's Sam Curran smashed 18 off six balls after the 22-year-old all-rounder was sent ahead of Dhoni in a move that surprised many. But Curran's hitting affirmed Dhoni's faith in him. "That's one thing we haven't done," Dhoni said, referring to experimenting with the batting order. "At some point... we need to give (Ravindra) Jadeja and somebody like Sam to express themselves." The 53-day IPL is being held in the United Arab Emirates this year because of concerns about the spread of the coronavirus in India, which has the second-highest number of known infections in the world.

Dhoni praises Chennai 'Dads Army' after IPL win over Mumbai

<p>India's batting legend Sunil Gavaskar has said that CSK skipper MS Dhoni's popularity in the country has surpassed Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-ms-dhoni-on-the-verge-of-surpassing-suresh-rainas-record-328624" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: MS Dhoni on the verge of surpassing Suresh Raina's record</a></p>

<p>Sunil Gavaskar is currently in the UAE and a part of the commentary panel in the 13th edition of Indian Premier League.</p>

<p>CSK skipper MS Dhoni's return to the field is the much-anticipated part of this year's IPL as the former Indian captain announced his retirement from international cricket on August 15. The last he played during the World Cup semi-finals clash against the Kiwis, 14 months ago.</p>

<p>Speaking about Dhoni before the IPL opener, Gavaskar said, “Since MSD comes from Ranchi, which doesn’t have a cricket culture as such, the whole India loves him. Tendulkar has Mumbai and Kolkata, Kohli has Delhi and Bengaluru but when you talk of Dhoni it’s the whole India.</p>

<p><strong>IN PICS|&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-2020-action-in-pictures-as-grand-festival-of-cricket-starts-in-uae-328877" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Action in pictures as 'grand festival' of cricket starts in UAE</a></p>

<p>Dhoni is also on the verge of breaking a record held by Suresh Raina, who will miss IPL 2020 due to ‘personal reasons’.</p>

<p>Dhoni, who has numerous records under his belt, is set to become the most-capped player in IPL and is just four appearances away from surpassing the record held by Raina in IPL. ‘Thala’ has led CSK in 10 seasons in IPL while winning three titles with the Yellow Army.</p>

<p>Despite the tournament being played outside India and behind closed doors, CSK fans are still running high on energy as their Dhoni and Co. begin their campaign tonight.</p>


India's batting legend Sunil Gavaskar has said that CSK skipper MS Dhoni's popularity in the country has surpassed Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli. Also read: IPL 2020: MS Dhoni on the verge of surpassing Suresh Raina's record Sunil Gavaskar is currently in the UAE and a part of the commentary panel in the 13th edition of Indian Premier League.

India's batting legend Sunil Gavaskar has said that CSK skipper MS Dhoni's popularity in the country has surpassed Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli. Also read: IPL 2020: MS Dhoni on the verge of surpassing Suresh Raina's record Sunil Gavaskar is currently in the UAE and a part of the commentary panel in the 13th edition of Indian Premier League. CSK skipper MS Dhoni's return to the field is the much-anticipated part of this year's IPL as the former Indian captain announced his retirement from international cricket on August 15. The last he played during the World Cup semi-finals clash against the Kiwis, 14 months ago. Speaking about Dhoni before the IPL opener, Gavaskar said, “Since MSD comes from Ranchi, which doesn’t have a cricket culture as such, the whole India loves him. Tendulkar has Mumbai and Kolkata, Kohli has Delhi and Bengaluru but when you talk of Dhoni it’s the whole India. IN PICS| IPL 2020: Action in pictures as 'grand festival' of cricket starts in UAE Dhoni is also on the verge of breaking a record held by Suresh Raina, who will miss IPL 2020 due to ‘personal reasons’. Dhoni, who has numerous records under his belt, is set to become the most-capped player in IPL and is just four appearances away from surpassing the record held by Raina in IPL. ‘Thala’ has led CSK in 10 seasons in IPL while winning three titles with the Yellow Army. Despite the tournament being played outside India and behind closed doors, CSK fans are still running high on energy as their Dhoni and Co. begin their campaign tonight.

'Whole India loves him': Sunil Gavaskar says Dhoni's popularity surpassed Tendulkar and Kohli

IPL 2020: Action in pictures as 'grand festival' of cricket starts in UAE

<p>Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who retired from international cricket last month, is in top shape and ready to lead the Chennai Super Kings in the 13th edition of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League</a> on Saturday, head coach Stephen Fleming has said.</p>

<p>The 39-year-old former skipper drew curtains on an illustrious, trophy-laden career for the national team, having not played for India since their semi-final exit at the 50-overs World Cup in July last year.</p>

<p>Due to his long break, there were concerns over Dhoni’s readiness for the IPL, which will be played in the United Arab Emirates due to the worsening COVID-19 pandemic in India.</p>

<p>"It has been no different," former New Zealand captain Fleming said in an interview on the team's website.&nbsp;"He's very fit and mentally he's been very engaged and determined.</p>

<p>“In some ways the break can work for the experienced and older players that we have. MS is fresh and ready to go.”</p>

<p>The IPL kicks off on Saturday with a repeat of last year’s final, which the Mumbai Indians won by one run against the Chennai outfit.</p>

<p>Three-time winners CSK did not have an ideal pre-season when many people from their touring party tested positive for the novel coronavirus upon arriving in the UAE, but Fleming felt the squad had dealt with the challenge well.</p>

<p>Adjusting to the conditions in the Emirates also means the 2020 edition of the popular Twenty20 tournament will be tactically “very different” and Fleming is banking on the wealth of experience in his side to adapt.</p>

<p>Apart from Dhoni, the Chennai side also boast experienced campaigners like Australian Shane Watson, Dwayne Bravo of West Indies and Pakistan-born South African Imran Tahir.</p>

<p>“We’ve got experienced players, and experienced players identify key times and that’s why they’ve done so well in their careers, that they can turn games, absorb pressure or just sum out the situation,” Fleming said.</p>

<p>“That’s what experience is about and that’s why we value it so highly.”</p>


Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who retired from international cricket last month, is in top shape and ready to lead the Chennai Super Kings in the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League on Saturday, head coach Stephen Fleming has said.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who retired from international cricket last month, is in top shape and ready to lead the Chennai Super Kings in the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League on Saturday, head coach Stephen Fleming has said. The 39-year-old former skipper drew curtains on an illustrious, trophy-laden career for the national team, having not played for India since their semi-final exit at the 50-overs World Cup in July last year. Due to his long break, there were concerns over Dhoni’s readiness for the IPL, which will be played in the United Arab Emirates due to the worsening COVID-19 pandemic in India. "It has been no different," former New Zealand captain Fleming said in an interview on the team's website. "He's very fit and mentally he's been very engaged and determined. “In some ways the break can work for the experienced and older players that we have. MS is fresh and ready to go.” The IPL kicks off on Saturday with a repeat of last year’s final, which the Mumbai Indians won by one run against the Chennai outfit. Three-time winners CSK did not have an ideal pre-season when many people from their touring party tested positive for the novel coronavirus upon arriving in the UAE, but Fleming felt the squad had dealt with the challenge well. Adjusting to the conditions in the Emirates also means the 2020 edition of the popular Twenty20 tournament will be tactically “very different” and Fleming is banking on the wealth of experience in his side to adapt. Apart from Dhoni, the Chennai side also boast experienced campaigners like Australian Shane Watson, Dwayne Bravo of West Indies and Pakistan-born South African Imran Tahir. “We’ve got experienced players, and experienced players identify key times and that’s why they’ve done so well in their careers, that they can turn games, absorb pressure or just sum out the situation,” Fleming said. “That’s what experience is about and that’s why we value it so highly.”

'Fit and Fresh' Dhoni ready to lead Chennai in IPL 2020

<p>As the match between Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians is underway, MS Dhoni's new beard has already taken CSK fans by a storm.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-ms-dhoni-on-the-verge-of-surpassing-suresh-rainas-record-328624" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: MS Dhoni on the verge of surpassing Suresh Raina's record</a></p>

<p>MS Dhoni has made his return on the field after a long span, and his new beard has become the talking point on social media. CSK fans have compared the beard to Srikanth and Abhinandan.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Seeing Dhoni after yearsss 🤧🤧😭😭❤❤<br />
Has kept beard looking like Srikanth 😂<br />
All d best Dhoni but MI will win 😜😂😅<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MIvCSK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MIvCSK</a> <a href="https://t.co/7bG5oD4B1Q">pic.twitter.com/7bG5oD4B1Q</a></p>
— K 🐥 (@Kajalshah76) <a href="https://twitter.com/Kajalshah76/status/1307314254328938496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 19, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Dhoni and his new Beard style won the toss💛😍 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CSKvsMI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CSKvsMI</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ipl2020?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ipl2020</a> <a href="https://t.co/pQfOaWSJkS">pic.twitter.com/pQfOaWSJkS</a></p>
— 🖤 𝒮𝓃𝒶𝓅𝒮𝒽𝑜𝓉𝒪𝒷𝓈𝑒𝓈𝓈𝒾𝑜𝓃🧚🏼‍♀️ (@ObsessionSnap) <a href="https://twitter.com/ObsessionSnap/status/1307313891865632773?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 19, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">DHONI's Beard reminding me of Abhinandan<br />
If u know<br />
U know<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dhoni?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Dhoni</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CSKvsMI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CSKvsMI</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZYCeisUP5O">pic.twitter.com/ZYCeisUP5O</a></p>
— Light 🔥 (@UnnamedLight) <a href="https://twitter.com/UnnamedLight/status/1307314132186730497?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 19, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Dhoni's new beard style 🔥. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CSKvsMI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CSKvsMI</a> <a href="https://t.co/ji39ETjI4F">pic.twitter.com/ji39ETjI4F</a></p>
— Mask 🎭 (@Mr_LoLwa) <a href="https://twitter.com/Mr_LoLwa/status/1307312230099156992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 19, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Dhoni setting new beard goals😍❤<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MIvsCSK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MIvsCSK</a> <a href="https://t.co/FR2rxbcWku">pic.twitter.com/FR2rxbcWku</a></p>
— SARCASTER 🇮🇳 (@sarcaster_) <a href="https://twitter.com/sarcaster_/status/1307312318108241925?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 19, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Beard Look is out of syllabus maannn 💥👀💛!! <a href="https://twitter.com/msdhoni?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@msdhoni</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dhoni?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Dhoni</a> <a href="https://t.co/IvRF6nXu8F">pic.twitter.com/IvRF6nXu8F</a></p>
— vEDITz (@Vidyadhar_R) <a href="https://twitter.com/Vidyadhar_R/status/1307308100496490499?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 19, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>CSK skipper MS Dhoni's return to the field will be the much-anticipated part of tonight's match as the former Indian captain announced his retirement from international cricket on August 15. The last he played during the World Cup semi-finals clash against the Kiwis, 14 months ago.</p>

<p><strong>IN PICS:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-trivia-top-records-of-thala-ms-dhoni-in-the-tournament-328205" hreflang="en">IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament</a></strong></p>

<p>Dhoni is also on the verge of breaking a record held by Suresh Raina, who will miss IPL 2020 due to ‘personal reasons’.</p>

<p>Dhoni, who has numerous records under his belt, is set to become the most-capped player in IPL and is just four appearances away from surpassing the record held by Raina in IPL. ‘Thala’ has led CSK in 10 seasons in IPL while winning three titles with the Yellow Army.</p>

<p>Despite the tournament being played outside India and behind closed doors, CSK fans are still running high on energy as their Dhoni and Co. begin their campaign tonight.&nbsp;</p>


As the match between Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians is underway, MS Dhoni's new beard has already taken CSK fans by a storm. Also read: IPL 2020: MS Dhoni on the verge of surpassing Suresh Raina's record MS Dhoni has made his return on the field after a long span, and his new beard has become the talking point on social media.

As the match between Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians is underway, MS Dhoni's new beard has already taken CSK fans by a storm. Also read: IPL 2020: MS Dhoni on the verge of surpassing Suresh Raina's record MS Dhoni has made his return on the field after a long span, and his new beard has become the talking point on social media. CSK fans have compared the beard to Srikanth and Abhinandan. Seeing Dhoni after yearsss 🤧🤧😭😭❤❤ Has kept beard looking like Srikanth 😂 All d best Dhoni but MI will win 😜😂😅#MIvCSK pic.twitter.com/7bG5oD4B1Q — K 🐥 (@Kajalshah76) September 19, 2020 × Dhoni and his new Beard style won the toss💛😍 #CSKvsMI #Ipl2020 pic.twitter.com/pQfOaWSJkS — 🖤 𝒮𝓃𝒶𝓅𝒮𝒽𝑜𝓉𝒪𝒷𝓈𝑒𝓈𝓈𝒾𝑜𝓃🧚🏼‍♀️ (@ObsessionSnap) September 19, 2020 × DHONI's Beard reminding me of Abhinandan If u know U know#Dhoni #CSKvsMI pic.twitter.com/ZYCeisUP5O — Light 🔥 (@UnnamedLight) September 19, 2020 × Dhoni's new beard style 🔥. #CSKvsMI pic.twitter.com/ji39ETjI4F — Mask 🎭 (@Mr_LoLwa) September 19, 2020 × Dhoni setting new beard goals😍❤#MIvsCSK pic.twitter.com/FR2rxbcWku — SARCASTER 🇮🇳 (@sarcaster_) September 19, 2020 × Beard Look is out of syllabus maannn 💥👀💛!! @msdhoni #Dhoni pic.twitter.com/IvRF6nXu8F — vEDITz (@Vidyadhar_R) September 19, 2020 × CSK skipper MS Dhoni's return to the field will be the much-anticipated part of tonight's match as the former Indian captain announced his retirement from international cricket on August 15. The last he played during the World Cup semi-finals clash against the Kiwis, 14 months ago. IN PICS: IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament Dhoni is also on the verge of breaking a record held by Suresh Raina, who will miss IPL 2020 due to ‘personal reasons’. Dhoni, who has numerous records under his belt, is set to become the most-capped player in IPL and is just four appearances away from surpassing the record held by Raina in IPL. ‘Thala’ has led CSK in 10 seasons in IPL while winning three titles with the Yellow Army. Despite the tournament being played outside India and behind closed doors, CSK fans are still running high on energy as their Dhoni and Co. begin their campaign tonight.

IPL 2020: MS Dhoni's 'Thala' beard takes the social media by storm

<p class="MsoNormal">Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are all set to lock horns with Mumbai Indians (MI) in the season opener of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a> at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Saturday. With the return of IPL, cricketing world will once again witness the legend of MS Dhoni take the field again. Dhoni is also on the verge of breaking a record held by Suresh Raina, who will miss IPL 2020 due to ‘personal reasons’. <o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">Dhoni, who has numerous records under his belt, is set to become the most-capped player in IPL and is just four appearances away from surpassing the record held by Raina in IPL. ‘Thala’ has led CSK in 10 seasons in IPL while winning three titles with the Yellow Army.</p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><strong>IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-trivia-top-records-of-thala-ms-dhoni-in-the-tournament-328205" hreflang="en">IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament</a></strong></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">Raina is currently the most-capped player in IPL history with 193 appearances to his name while representing Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Lions. Whereas Dhoni has 190 appearances in IPL while playing for CSK and Rising Pune Supergiant.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">Dhoni, who is highly likely to start every game in IPL 2020, will easily surpass the record held by Raina in their match against Sunrisers Hyderabad.</p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mi-vs-csk-ipl-2020-preview-ms-dhoni-returns-but-will-it-be-sufficient-in-front-of-defending-champions-328609" hreflang="en">MI vs CSK, IPL 2020 Preview: MS Dhoni returns but will it be sufficient in front of defending champions?</a></strong></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">Apart from the record mentioned, Dhoni has most number of wins – 104 – as captain in IPL and is also the most successful wicket-keeper in the tournament with as many as 132 dismissals besides captaining his sides in 174 matches in IPL. <o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">With the bat, Dhoni has been a menacing force with as many as 209 sixes to his name – most by an Indian batsman. Only Chris Gayle (326) and AB de Villiers (212) are ahead of him in the list. <o:p></o:p></p>


Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are all set to lock horns with Mumbai Indians (MI) in the season opener of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are all set to lock horns with Mumbai Indians (MI) in the season opener of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Saturday. With the return of IPL, cricketing world will once again witness the legend of MS Dhoni take the field again. Dhoni is also on the verge of breaking a record held by Suresh Raina, who will miss IPL 2020 due to ‘personal reasons’. Dhoni, who has numerous records under his belt, is set to become the most-capped player in IPL and is just four appearances away from surpassing the record held by Raina in IPL. ‘Thala’ has led CSK in 10 seasons in IPL while winning three titles with the Yellow Army. IN PICS | IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament Raina is currently the most-capped player in IPL history with 193 appearances to his name while representing Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Lions. Whereas Dhoni has 190 appearances in IPL while playing for CSK and Rising Pune Supergiant. Dhoni, who is highly likely to start every game in IPL 2020, will easily surpass the record held by Raina in their match against Sunrisers Hyderabad. ALSO READ: MI vs CSK, IPL 2020 Preview: MS Dhoni returns but will it be sufficient in front of defending champions? Apart from the record mentioned, Dhoni has most number of wins – 104 – as captain in IPL and is also the most successful wicket-keeper in the tournament with as many as 132 dismissals besides captaining his sides in 174 matches in IPL. With the bat, Dhoni has been a menacing force with as many as 209 sixes to his name – most by an Indian batsman. Only Chris Gayle (326) and AB de Villiers (212) are ahead of him in the list.

IPL 2020: MS Dhoni on the verge of surpassing Suresh Raina's record

<p>The biggest T20 tournament in the world is back as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a> is all set to commence from today with defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) taking on MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Two of the most successful teams – MI and CSK - in IPL will lock horns against each other in a bid to start the IPL 2020 campaign in a winning style. While Mumbai Indians have had an advantage in the head-to-head encounters, with the Rohit Sharma-led outfit winning 17 as comparison to CSK’s 11 win.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fit-and-fresh-dhoni-ready-to-lead-chennai-in-ipl-2020-328585">'Fit and Fresh' Dhoni ready to lead Chennai in IPL</a></strong></p>

<p>All eyes will be on MS Dhoni as ‘Thala’ is set to mark his return to the cricket field after playing his last match in the ICC World Cup 2019 semi-final against New Zealand. Dhoni has led CSK to three IPL titles and remains one of the best captain of all-time in cricketing history. However, he hasn’t played any sort of professional cricket for over a year and that might play a major role in today’s match as it could take some time before he gets back to match-rhythm and his usual attacking flow.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Same goes for Shane Watson, Murali Vijay, Piyush Chawla and other players of the CSK squad who haven't played that much of cricket in the past 12 months. And that could take some time for CSK to return to their usual mojo.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Both teams are looking terrific on paper. However, CSK will be missing the services of Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh whereas Mumbai Indians will be without Lasith Malinga, which can put pressure on other players.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The match will be played at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, where the average first innings score in T20s is 137 with the highest being 225. Teams bowling first have had a slight advantage when it comes to winning matches.</p>

<p><strong>IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-trivia-top-records-of-thala-ms-dhoni-in-the-tournament-328205" hreflang="en">IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament</a></strong></p>

<p>Mumbai Indians will look forward to the form of Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav and Pandya brothers along with Jasprit Bumrah as they form the core of the team. However, all eyes will be on Kieron Pollard given his sensational form in the recently concluded team.</p>

<h2>Predicted Chennai Super Kings Playing XI –</h2>

<p>S Watson, Faf Du Plessis, A Rayudu, K Jadhav, MS Dhoni (C &amp; WK), R Jadeja, D Bravo, D Chahar, P Chawla, I Tahir, L Ngidi</p>

<h2>Predicted Mumbai Indians Playing XI –</h2>

<p>R Sharma (C), Q De Kock (WK), I Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Krunal Pandya, K Pollard, H Pandya, Nathan Coulter-Nile, R Chahar, T Boult, J Bumrah&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>


The biggest T20 tournament in the world is back as Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 is all set to commence from today with defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) taking on MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

The biggest T20 tournament in the world is back as Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 is all set to commence from today with defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) taking on MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Two of the most successful teams – MI and CSK - in IPL will lock horns against each other in a bid to start the IPL 2020 campaign in a winning style. While Mumbai Indians have had an advantage in the head-to-head encounters, with the Rohit Sharma-led outfit winning 17 as comparison to CSK’s 11 win. ALSO READ: 'Fit and Fresh' Dhoni ready to lead Chennai in IPL All eyes will be on MS Dhoni as ‘Thala’ is set to mark his return to the cricket field after playing his last match in the ICC World Cup 2019 semi-final against New Zealand. Dhoni has led CSK to three IPL titles and remains one of the best captain of all-time in cricketing history. However, he hasn’t played any sort of professional cricket for over a year and that might play a major role in today’s match as it could take some time before he gets back to match-rhythm and his usual attacking flow. Same goes for Shane Watson, Murali Vijay, Piyush Chawla and other players of the CSK squad who haven't played that much of cricket in the past 12 months. And that could take some time for CSK to return to their usual mojo. Both teams are looking terrific on paper. However, CSK will be missing the services of Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh whereas Mumbai Indians will be without Lasith Malinga, which can put pressure on other players. The match will be played at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, where the average first innings score in T20s is 137 with the highest being 225. Teams bowling first have had a slight advantage when it comes to winning matches. IN PICS | IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament Mumbai Indians will look forward to the form of Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav and Pandya brothers along with Jasprit Bumrah as they form the core of the team. However, all eyes will be on Kieron Pollard given his sensational form in the recently concluded team. Predicted Chennai Super Kings Playing XI – S Watson, Faf Du Plessis, A Rayudu, K Jadhav, MS Dhoni (C & WK), R Jadeja, D Bravo, D Chahar, P Chawla, I Tahir, L Ngidi Predicted Mumbai Indians Playing XI – R Sharma (C), Q De Kock (WK), I Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Krunal Pandya, K Pollard, H Pandya, Nathan Coulter-Nile, R Chahar, T Boult, J Bumrah

MI vs CSK, IPL 2020 Preview: MS Dhoni returns but will it be sufficient in front of defending champions?

<p>The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 season opener between defending champions Mumbai Indians and three-time winners Chennai Super Kings is less than 24 hours away. After over a&nbsp;year, MS Dhoni will be taking to the field in the match against Mumbai Indians and fans are already looking forward to witnessing former Indian skipper back in action again.</p>

<p>#WelcomeBackDhoni started to trend on social media platform Twitter as fans posted stats, photos, videos of Dhoni with more than 50,000 tweets. There has been lot of talks surrounding Dhoni’s comeback on field, more so ever after he announced his retirement from international cricket on August 15. While fans may not witness ‘Thala’ in action from stadiums, they will be tuning in on their televisions to catch a glimpse of the wicket-keeper batsman.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-trivia-top-records-of-thala-ms-dhoni-in-the-tournament-328205" hreflang="en">IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament</a></strong></p>

<h2>Here's how #WelcomeBackDhoni trended on Twitter:</h2>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Let’s look forward to dashing Dhoni’s dhamaka in Dubai!🤩🥳<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WelcomeBackDhoni?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WelcomeBackDhoni</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChennaiIPL</a> <a href="https://t.co/pawSK02ZyP">pic.twitter.com/pawSK02ZyP</a></p>
— Whistle Podu Army ® - CSK Fan Club (@CSKFansOfficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/CSKFansOfficial/status/1306950487929806848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Most runs in last 4 overs<br />
Most runs in the last over<br />
Most wins as Captain<br />
Most dismissals as Keeper<br />
Most runs as Captain<br />
Most MOM as Captain<br />
Most not outs as Batsman<br />
Most sixes by an Indian<br />
Most MOM by an Indian<br />
Highest average by Indian player<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WelcomeBackDhoni?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WelcomeBackDhoni</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/msdhoni?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MSDhoni</a></p>
— DHONIsm™ ❤️ (@DHONIism) <a href="https://twitter.com/DHONIism/status/1306949868686987264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Done and dusted with the blues<br />
<br />
Need to do it again with the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Yellove?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Yellove</a> 🔥<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WelcomeBackDhoni?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WelcomeBackDhoni</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/msdhoni?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MSDhoni</a> <a href="https://t.co/gUYOJHzhxj">pic.twitter.com/gUYOJHzhxj</a></p>
— DHONIsm™ ❤️ (@DHONIism) <a href="https://twitter.com/DHONIism/status/1306957487967531008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">19:29 - MSD Retired !!<br />
<br />
19:30 - MSD will be coming back !!<br />
<br />
Destiny 🤞💥<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WelcomeBackDhoni?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WelcomeBackDhoni</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChennaiIPL</a></p>
— DHONI Army TN™ (@DhoniArmyTN) <a href="https://twitter.com/DhoniArmyTN/status/1306949805445271552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Here is the Special Design to Welcome our beloved IDOL <a href="https://twitter.com/msdhoni?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MSDhoni</a>. 💛<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WelcomeBackDhoni?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WelcomeBackDhoni</a> 🦁🔥<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2020?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2020</a> • Design <a href="https://twitter.com/lingamalagar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@lingamalagar</a>..!! <a href="https://t.co/J72CcG16kQ">pic.twitter.com/J72CcG16kQ</a></p>
— DHONIsm™ ❤️ (@DHONIism) <a href="https://twitter.com/DHONIism/status/1306951639341826050?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Captain Cool, Well Said !!👌🦁💛<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WelcomeBackDhoni?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WelcomeBackDhoni</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChennaiIPL</a> <a href="https://t.co/9Ds4aAWopO">pic.twitter.com/9Ds4aAWopO</a></p>
— CSK Fans Army™ (@CSKFansArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/CSKFansArmy/status/1306959179660156940?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WelcomeBackDhoni?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WelcomeBackDhoni</a> 🔥<br />
<br />
Art Artist <a href="https://t.co/CnkcXEo8xR">pic.twitter.com/CnkcXEo8xR</a></p>
— DHONI Tamil FC™ (@DhoniTamilFC) <a href="https://twitter.com/DhoniTamilFC/status/1306949986601414656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Helicopter Flying in the UAE !!🚁💥<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WelcomeBackDhoni?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WelcomeBackDhoni</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CSK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CSK</a> <a href="https://t.co/6GvCZYscjA">pic.twitter.com/6GvCZYscjA</a></p>
— CSK Fans Army™ (@CSKFansArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/CSKFansArmy/status/1306950150305116160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">All We Need is Your Presence to Cherish &amp; Smile to Rejoice 🤗💛<a href="https://twitter.com/msdhoni?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@msdhoni</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MSDhoni?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MSDhoni</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WelcomeBackDhoni?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WelcomeBackDhoni</a> <a href="https://t.co/LGd9nnTQns">pic.twitter.com/LGd9nnTQns</a></p>
— Sharukh MSD™🦁 (@StanMSD) <a href="https://twitter.com/StanMSD/status/1306948840843436032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-hardik-pandya-jokingly-trolls-ms-dhoni-abd-reminds-him-not-to-mess-with-thala-328343" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Hardik Pandya Jokingly trolls MS Dhoni, ABD; reminds him not to mess with ‘Thala’</a></strong></p>

<p>CSK head coach Stephen Fleming, ahead of the match against Mumbai Indians, heaped praise on Dhoni as he said: “It has been no different. He’s very fit and mentally he’s been very engaged and determined. In some ways the break can work for the experienced and older players that we have. MS is fresh and ready to go,” Fleming told CSK’s official website.</p>

<p>Also termed as ‘El Clasico’ cricket, CSK vs MI will be the perfect season opener for IPL 2020. Talking about the match, Fleming said, the encounter always adds extra excitement and pressure.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“The first game is always full of anxiety, nerves and excitement, and CSK-MI has added extra excitement and pressure and we enjoy that. We’ve earned the right to play the first game by playing well last year, and given the way the final finished last year, it’s nice to have another crack at MI. They are a very good side and it gives you a good gauge as to how the pre-season has gone and the areas that need improvement. You get a good idea after the first game as to where your team is sitting,” Fleming said.</p>

<p>CSK will be without the likes of Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh who opted out of IPL 2020 citing personal reasons.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 season opener between defending champions Mumbai Indians and three-time winners Chennai Super Kings is less than 24 hours away.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 season opener between defending champions Mumbai Indians and three-time winners Chennai Super Kings is less than 24 hours away. After over a year, MS Dhoni will be taking to the field in the match against Mumbai Indians and fans are already looking forward to witnessing former Indian skipper back in action again. #WelcomeBackDhoni started to trend on social media platform Twitter as fans posted stats, photos, videos of Dhoni with more than 50,000 tweets. There has been lot of talks surrounding Dhoni’s comeback on field, more so ever after he announced his retirement from international cricket on August 15. While fans may not witness ‘Thala’ in action from stadiums, they will be tuning in on their televisions to catch a glimpse of the wicket-keeper batsman. ALSO READ: IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament Here's how #WelcomeBackDhoni trended on Twitter: Let’s look forward to dashing Dhoni’s dhamaka in Dubai!🤩🥳#WelcomeBackDhoni @ChennaiIPL pic.twitter.com/pawSK02ZyP — Whistle Podu Army ® - CSK Fan Club (@CSKFansOfficial) September 18, 2020 × Most runs in last 4 overs Most runs in the last over Most wins as Captain Most dismissals as Keeper Most runs as Captain Most MOM as Captain Most not outs as Batsman Most sixes by an Indian Most MOM by an Indian Highest average by Indian player#WelcomeBackDhoni | @MSDhoni — DHONIsm™ ❤️ (@DHONIism) September 18, 2020 × Done and dusted with the blues Need to do it again with the #Yellove 🔥#WelcomeBackDhoni | @MSDhoni pic.twitter.com/gUYOJHzhxj — DHONIsm™ ❤️ (@DHONIism) September 18, 2020 × 19:29 - MSD Retired !! 19:30 - MSD will be coming back !! Destiny 🤞💥#WelcomeBackDhoni | @ChennaiIPL — DHONI Army TN™ (@DhoniArmyTN) September 18, 2020 × Here is the Special Design to Welcome our beloved IDOL @MSDhoni. 💛#WelcomeBackDhoni 🦁🔥#IPL2020 • Design @lingamalagar..!! pic.twitter.com/J72CcG16kQ — DHONIsm™ ❤️ (@DHONIism) September 18, 2020 × Captain Cool, Well Said !!👌🦁💛#WelcomeBackDhoni | @ChennaiIPL pic.twitter.com/9Ds4aAWopO — CSK Fans Army™ (@CSKFansArmy) September 18, 2020 × #WelcomeBackDhoni 🔥 Art Artist pic.twitter.com/CnkcXEo8xR — DHONI Tamil FC™ (@DhoniTamilFC) September 18, 2020 × Helicopter Flying in the UAE !!🚁💥#WelcomeBackDhoni | #CSK pic.twitter.com/6GvCZYscjA — CSK Fans Army™ (@CSKFansArmy) September 18, 2020 × All We Need is Your Presence to Cherish & Smile to Rejoice 🤗💛@msdhoni #MSDhoni #WelcomeBackDhoni pic.twitter.com/LGd9nnTQns — Sharukh MSD™🦁 (@StanMSD) September 18, 2020 × ALSO READ: IPL 2020: Hardik Pandya Jokingly trolls MS Dhoni, ABD; reminds him not to mess with ‘Thala’ CSK head coach Stephen Fleming, ahead of the match against Mumbai Indians, heaped praise on Dhoni as he said: “It has been no different. He’s very fit and mentally he’s been very engaged and determined. In some ways the break can work for the experienced and older players that we have. MS is fresh and ready to go,” Fleming told CSK’s official website. Also termed as ‘El Clasico’ cricket, CSK vs MI will be the perfect season opener for IPL 2020. Talking about the match, Fleming said, the encounter always adds extra excitement and pressure. “The first game is always full of anxiety, nerves and excitement, and CSK-MI has added extra excitement and pressure and we enjoy that. We’ve earned the right to play the first game by playing well last year, and given the way the final finished last year, it’s nice to have another crack at MI. They are a very good side and it gives you a good gauge as to how the pre-season has gone and the areas that need improvement. You get a good idea after the first game as to where your team is sitting,” Fleming said. CSK will be without the likes of Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh who opted out of IPL 2020 citing personal reasons.

IPL 2020: Ahead of MI vs CSK opener, #WelcomeBackDhoni trends on Twitter

<p class="MsoNormal">The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl-2020">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a> is all set to begin from September 19 (Saturday) with the season opener scheduled to be played between Chennai Super Kings and defending champions Mumbai Indians in Abu Dhabi. As players gear up for the lucrative T20 tournament, which will be held behind closed doors amid COVID-19 pandemic, Chennai Super Kings honored skipper MS Dhoni with a golden cap for his services to CSK. <o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">While the likes of Ravindra Jadeja and Shane Watson went to their rooms with special customized gifts during the customary pre-season dinner for their players, Dhoni was bestowed with golden cap for his contribution to CSK and helping them win three IPL trophies.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Our customary pre-season dinner turned into a memorable lunch this time and our Lions walked away with some Super Duper Awards.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Thala?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Thala</a> Dhoni for leading the team with the willow and scoring the most runs for the Super Kings in IPL 2019. 🦁💛 <a href="https://t.co/aWwErJgyvV">pic.twitter.com/aWwErJgyvV</a></p>
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL/status/1306571815435685894?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 17, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-trivia-top-records-of-thala-ms-dhoni-in-the-tournament-328205" hreflang="en">IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament</a></strong></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">CSK head coach Stephen Fleming and fielding coach Rajiv Kumar presented Dhoni with the gift. Notably, the pair of Fleming and Dhoni has been together since the first season of IPL. In 2008, Fleming played under the leadership of Dhoni before he became the head coach in 2009. When CSK was banned from playing in IPL, Fleming took over the charge at Rising Pune Super Giants with Dhoni in IPL 2016 and 2017. <o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">Meawhile, Dhoni will be back on the cricket field for first time since ICC World Cup 2019 semi-final against New Zealand. Since that match, Dhoni was under sabbatical before hanging his boots in international cricket on August 15, 2020.&nbsp;</p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-face-off-intense-rivalry-between-mumbai-indians-and-chennai-super-kings-327555">IPL Face-off: Intense rivalry between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings</a></strong></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">While Dhoni will be present in CSK camp, the Yellow Army will miss two veterans Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh after the duo pulled out of IPL 2020 citing personal reasons.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">CSK are set to start their campaign against four-time IPL winners Mumbai Indians on Saturday in what will be the season opener.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>


The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 is all set to begin from September 19 (Saturday) with the season opener scheduled to be played between Chennai Super Kings and defending champions Mumbai Indians in Abu Dhabi.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 is all set to begin from September 19 (Saturday) with the season opener scheduled to be played between Chennai Super Kings and defending champions Mumbai Indians in Abu Dhabi. As players gear up for the lucrative T20 tournament, which will be held behind closed doors amid COVID-19 pandemic, Chennai Super Kings honored skipper MS Dhoni with a golden cap for his services to CSK. While the likes of Ravindra Jadeja and Shane Watson went to their rooms with special customized gifts during the customary pre-season dinner for their players, Dhoni was bestowed with golden cap for his contribution to CSK and helping them win three IPL trophies. Our customary pre-season dinner turned into a memorable lunch this time and our Lions walked away with some Super Duper Awards.#Thala Dhoni for leading the team with the willow and scoring the most runs for the Super Kings in IPL 2019. 🦁💛 pic.twitter.com/aWwErJgyvV — Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) September 17, 2020 × ALSO READ: IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament CSK head coach Stephen Fleming and fielding coach Rajiv Kumar presented Dhoni with the gift. Notably, the pair of Fleming and Dhoni has been together since the first season of IPL. In 2008, Fleming played under the leadership of Dhoni before he became the head coach in 2009. When CSK was banned from playing in IPL, Fleming took over the charge at Rising Pune Super Giants with Dhoni in IPL 2016 and 2017. Meawhile, Dhoni will be back on the cricket field for first time since ICC World Cup 2019 semi-final against New Zealand. Since that match, Dhoni was under sabbatical before hanging his boots in international cricket on August 15, 2020. ALSO READ: IPL Face-off: Intense rivalry between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings While Dhoni will be present in CSK camp, the Yellow Army will miss two veterans Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh after the duo pulled out of IPL 2020 citing personal reasons. CSK are set to start their campaign against four-time IPL winners Mumbai Indians on Saturday in what will be the season opener.

IPL 2020: Chennai Super Kings honour MS Dhoni with 'Golden Cap'

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