Dhoni had earlier promised that he would play one last game at Chepauk before calling time on his IPL career: Reports
CHENNAI: Chennai Super Kings fans are holding their breath. CSK’s playoff fate is no longer entirely in their own hands, with the five-time champions now dependent on other results going their way. Yet, that is not the primary source of anxiety among the Chepauk faithful. Monday night’s southern derby against Sunrisers Hyderabad could potentially be the final opportunity to watch M.S. Dhoni in action at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium.
Dhoni had earlier promised that he would play one last game at Chepauk before calling time on his IPL career. However, a calf injury and the lengthy recovery that followed meant he did not feature in a single match this season. Dhoni attended the pre-match training session on Sunday, but there is still uncertainty over his availability.
CSK’s defeat to Lucknow Super Giants away from home significantly dented their qualification hopes. The team currently sit on 12 points from as many matches. In many ways, it is remarkable that CSK still remain mathematically alive in the playoff race despite a disastrous start to the campaign and a mounting injury crisis. While Dhoni and Dewald Brevis began the season on the sidelines, Nathan Ellis, Jamie Overton, Khaleel Ahmed, Ayush Mhatre and Ramakrishna Ghosh were all ruled out, one after another, as the season progressed.
Recent performances from Kartik Sharma at No. 4 and Shivam Dube in the finisher’s role have offered some relief to a batting unit that relied heavily on Sanju Samson at the top of the order. However, bowling spearhead Anshul Kamboj — who has claimed 19 wickets in 12 games — endured a bruising outing against Lucknow. The pacer conceded 63 runs in just 2.3 overs, and it remains to be seen how he responds after such a morale-shattering spell.
Sunrisers Hyderabad, too, enter the contest on the back of a crushing defeat, having been bowled out for just 86 against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad. Pacer Praful Hinge, with two wickets and an impressive economy rate, was the lone bright spot in an otherwise forgettable performance. Nevertheless, with 14 points from 12 matches, Sunrisers remain in a stronger position than CSK in the race for the playoffs.
