MS Dhoni Becomes Only The Second Player After Virat Kohli To Play 200 Games For A Single Franchise

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is in that phase of his cricket career that whenever he stepped onto the field, a new record is made or broken. This time it was the record of him becoming only the second player after Virat Kohli to play 200 games for a single franchise in T20 cricket.

Dhoni, who joined the Chennai franchise in the very first IPL auction in 2008, became the first player to play 200 T20 games for CSK as well. This includes the 24 games he led them in the Champions League T20. This is MS Dhoni’s 206^th match in the IPL, which already makes him the most capped player in the IPL tournament ever.

Only Suresh Raina (193) and Virat Kohli (192) have played fewer matches than MS Dhoni’s 206 in the Indian Premier League.

The 206 IPL games that MS Dhoni has played in IPL also include the 30 matches he played for the Rising Pune Supergiant when CSK was serving their two-year ban from the IPL in 2016 and 2017. He had led the CSK in all but one matches thus far, in which Suresh Raina led the team in a Champions League T20 in 2012 wherein Dhoni even bowled.

Dhoni has led CSK since the very beginning in 2008 during which time he won the IPL 3 times in 2010, 2011, and 2018. He also clinched the Champions League T20 title twice in 2010 and 2014.

CSK Get A Perfect Start Under MS Dhoni Against Punjab Kings At Mumbai

In the ongoing 8^th game of the IPL 2021 between the Chennai Super Kings and Punjab Kings, MS Dhoni won the toss and chose to bowl first. The decision proved to spot on as CSK got a brilliant start with the bowl from the start with Deepak Chahar and Ravindra Jadeja being the heroes.

Mayank Agarwal was bowled for a duck by Deepak Chahar in the very first over, while KL Rahul got run out thanks to the brilliance of Ravindra Jadeja who scored a direct hit. Chris Gayle looked dangerous for his 10 runs but was caught nicely by Jadeja off Chahar.

Chahar finished his 4-over spell by further adding the wickets of Deepak Hooda for 10 and Nicholas Pooran for a duck, finishing his quota with figures of 4/13 and left PBKS reeling at 26/5 in 7 overs.

Also Read: Watch: Deepak Chahar Knocks Over Mayank Agarwal With A Perfect Outswinger