Last Update on: March 25th, 2023 at 08:58 pm

MS Dhoni has left an indelible mark on global cricket. Not only has he been instrumental to India’s success with the bat and behind the stumps, but he is also considered one of the greatest captains cricket has seen. Not only has he won all there is to win with Team India, but he has also won 4 IPL trophies captaining Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

While Super Kings broke the bank to buy Ben Stokes for Rs. 16.25 Crore in the mini-auction last December, they also made some cheaper buys to improve squad depth, like Kyle Jamieson for INR 1 Crore, and Ajinkya Rahane for INR 50 Lakh.

The team also bought some lesser-known names. These include 27-year-old Jharkhand all-rounder Ajay Mandal, and the 2022 U-19 World Cup winner with India Shaikh Rasheed. The two opened up about them meeting MS Dhoni for the first time.

“Actually the first time when I came here to Chepauk for practice, it was a special experience interacting with MS Dhoni. In the nets session, I only asked him for some bowling tips and he gave me you can do this and that. That was my first chat session with him.” Ajay shared his first interaction with the CSK captain.

Meanwhile, Rasheed told how the veteran keeper-batsman told him to perform to his own ability.

“Mahi told me ‘Hi’. It was very special for me. First time I met him on the bus and then on the ground. Mahi bhai told, ‘Just do whatever you know’. He asked me to perform to my ability.”

CSK will kick start their IPL 2023 campaign on the opening night, March 31, against defending champions Gujarat Titans at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium.

Former CSK batter Matthew Hayden names Ambati Rayudu and MS Dhoni as crucial players in IPL 2023

Former Australia and CSK batter Matthew Hayden believes that veteran players Ambati Rayudu and MS Dhoni will be key to their side’s success in IPL 2023.

The Chennai-based franchise is often called “Dad’s Army” due to its high average age. While this might bring vast experience to the side, many of these players are in the twilight of their careers, Dhoni and Rayudu being two of them.

Speaking to Star Sports, Hayden claimed that they need to fire as players, and not just leaders, if CSK are to flourish this year.

“They have had this for a little is that they’re kind of a Dad’s Army – a tagline that they seem to have received. This year is a little bit the same as well. MS Dhoni is of an age like Ambati Rayudu where they need to be key players, not just have the potential as leaders of the team. So those two key players in particular, with that age of their side, is it going to be experienced or is it going to be a decline of CSK?”

Both MS Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu have retired from international cricket. Both of them now only have IPL on their yearly cricketing schedule.

Also read: India Likely To Play Two Additional T20I Matches Against West Indies Later This Year – Reports

IPL 2023: New CSK Recruits Discuss First Interaction With Their Idol MS Dhoni

Former CSK batter Matthew Hayden names Ambati Rayudu and MS Dhoni as crucial players in IPL 2023

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