PBKS vs CSK: "MS Dhoni should be in the Indian team now..." - Ruturaj Gaikwad
Published - 02 May 2024, 04:36 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 01:11 AM
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad praised legendary MS Dhoni after the match against the Punjab Kings (PBKS). Ruturaj Gaikwad stated that MS Dhoni should be included in the Indian team considering his batting performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024.
MS Dhoni stepped down from the captaincy before the first match of the ongoing season. Ruturaj Gaikwad replaced him as skipper of the five-time IPL champions. The opening batter has been part of the team since 2019. He helped the Chennai team secure titles in the 2021 and 2023 seasons.
MS Dhoni Should Be In The Indian Team Now - Ruturaj Gaikwad
In a video shared by Star Sports on X (formerly known as Twitter), Ruturaj Gaikwad was asked about MS Dhoni's performance in the IPL 2024. Gaikwad highlighted Dhoni's dedication in the pre-season, stating that he's in his prime twenties.
"How did the young wicket-keeper perform in your opinion?" asks the anchor.
"He did quite well, I feel he should be in the Indian team now, he's doing really well, he played some good shots. The reason why I said young was actually the amount of practice he was doing pre-season, the amount of hard work he was putting in and I think he was playing the best I've ever seen since the last five or six years. So I really feel he's in his prime twenties. He is playing that kind of cricket right now. Definitely he's still quite young and many more years to come for him to play," Gaikwad told Star Sports.
Dhoni has amassed 110 runs in 10 matches at an impressive average of 110.00 and an outstanding strike rate of 229.17. He holds the third-best strike rate in the ongoing season. In the recent match against Punjab, he scored 14 runs off 11 balls. Notably, it was his first dismissal of the season.
Ruturaj Gaikwad is currently the leading run-scorer in the ongoing tournament. The CSK skipper has scored 509 runs in 10 matches with an impressive average of 63.62 and a strike rate of 146.68. The right-handed batter scored 62 runs off 48 balls against the Pubjab Kings in Chennai on Wednesday, May 1.
Chennai Super Kings Suffer Seven Wicket Loss
The Chennai Super Kings managed to score 162 runs after being asked to bat first against PBKS. Gaikwad and Ajinkya Rahane formed a strong opening partnership of 64 runs. However, the middle-order batters failed to deliver against Punjab spinners Harpreet Brar and Rahul Chahar, who claimed two wickets each.
Jonny Bairstow and Rilee Rossouw added a crucial 64-run partnership after the early wicket of opener Prabsimran Singh. Bairstow scored 46 runs off 30 balls, while Rossouw contributed 43 runs off 23 balls. The Sam Curran-led team reached their target of 163 runs in 17.5 overs with seven wickets in hand.
The Chennai Super Kings are scheduled to take on the Chennai Super Kings again at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala on Sunday, May 5.
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