“He won’t always hit sixes, but…”: Dhoni talks about the pep talk he had with Rahane after CSK beat MI.
Rohit Sharma’s Mumbai Indians (MI) lost Match 12 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) to MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by 7 wickets at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday. Veteran batsman Ajinkya Rahane had a great game with the bat, which helped CSK beat the record-time winners. In the first El Clasico of the new season, an injury-plagued CSK team crushed the Mumbai Indians thanks to Rahane’s great half-century. Moeen Ali and Ben Stokes, who usually win games, were both out with injuries.
Rahane’s first game for the Chennai Super Kings was a huge success. He hit the fastest fifty of the IPL 2023, which got him praise from everyone in the cricket community. After the game, CSK captain Dhoni praised Rahane for his great batting and talked about the pep talk he had with Rahane before the new season of the cash-rich league.
“We talked right away, and he asked me what I was looking for. I told him what I was thinking. He is not someone who will regularly hit sixes, but he is technically very good. I was very pleased with how he hit. All of the games matter. The first goal is to win a game on the road and make it to the qualifier. “It’s important to focus on the problem in front of you, win games, and get points,” Dhoni said at a press conference after the game.
Rahane’s name wasn’t on the contract list that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) just put out. On Saturday, he played his first match of the IPL 2023. At the IPL 2023 auction, Rahane was bought by the four-time winners for INR 50 lakh. In just 19 balls, he hit a fifty that won the game. Rahane’s quick 61 off of 27 balls and Ruturaj Gaikwad’s tough 40 off of 36 balls helped CSK reach their goal of 158 at the Wankhede Stadium with 11 balls to spare.
Rahane was let go by IPL 2022 champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) after the former vice captain of India hurt his hamstring. The 34-year-old has played in more than 158 IPL games. In the world’s richest T20 league, the veteran Indian batter has played for teams like CSK, KKR, Rajasthan Royals (RR), Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS), and Delhi Capitals (DC).