IPL 2018: Mahendra Singh Dhoni's Intuition on The Ground is Incredible - Shane Watson

Shane Watson has lavished praise on Mahendra Singh Dhoni following the win against Rajasthan Royals on Friday (April 20). Chennai Super Kings (CSK) returned to winning ways by thumping Royals by 64 runs in a one-sided contest.

Sent in to bat first, the Super Kings posted a massive 204 for five in the allotted 20 overs. Shane Watson starred with the bat, scoring a brilliant 106 off 57 balls.

The knock was studded with nine fours and six sixes. In reply, the Royals never looked in contention to chase down the big total. They kept on losing wickets at regular intervals and were eventually all out for 140.

Speaking after the game, Watson lauded Dhoni’s captaincy skills.

“MS reads the game incredibly well. His feel for the game is as good as anyone that’s ever played the game. His intuition on the ground is incredible, so… We obviously do a lot of planning of how we’re going to bowl and that comes in from what MS feels and his tactics on the ground. It’s a pretty powerful combination,” he said at the post-match press conference.

In addition to being the most decorated India skipper of all time, Dhoni is also one of the most successful skippers in IPL. Before the suspension in 2015, Dhoni had enjoyed a very successful spell with the Chennai-based outfit.

The former India captain led Chennai Super Kings for eight very successful years, helping the franchise win two IPL titles as well as two now-scrapped T20 Champions League titles.

In addition, the team also made it to the final of IPL on four other occasions.

While Watson made his international debut before Dhoni, the former India skipper is far experienced in terms of international cricket. Not surprisingly, the veteran of over 50 Tests and T20Is and another 100-plus ODIs admitted that he still learns a  lot from Dhoni.

“I’ve always watched him from far away. He’s so incredibly calm… Well he looks calm, maybe not so on the inside always but he looks so calm. Also, how he tactically reads the game, he’s hardly ever out in regards to his intuitions regarding the feeling of the game. To get to know these people is itself a huge privilege when you get to play these types of tournaments. To know them off the field, understand exactly what makes them great, how they go about their preparation, how they go about their life apart from cricket as well,” Watson said.

Meanwhile, the win helped Super Kings get back to winning ways and take their tally to three wins from four games. After winning their opening two games, the Super Kings lost a high-scoring thriller against Kings XI Punjab.

Super Kings will next take on Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday (April 22) and Shane Watson will be key again.

Also read: IPL 2018: Shane Warne Apologises After Rajasthan Royals’ Poor Display in Pune