Chennai: It’s not easy to lead Chennai Super Kings when the skipper is not M.S. Dhoni. It’s not often that Dhoni, sporting a yellow jersey, misses an IPL game. And when he does, CSK’s gameplan seems to go haywire. It happened twice this season when the superstar skipper had to sit out with a back spasm and fever. On both occasions — against Sunrisers in Hyderabad and Mumbai at Chepauk — Chennai ended up on the losing side.
Super Kings returned to winning ways with Dhoni coming back to the playing XI, against Delhi Capitals on Wednesday.
Suresh Raina who led CSK against Sunrisers and Mumbai said the team badly missed Dhoni the batsman in the previous game. “I think losing Dhoni as a captain is not an issue, losing him as a batsman is always difficult for us. That’s what happened for us against Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians. When he comes to the crease a lot of pressure is created for other teams. When he is not in the team, we see the difference,” added Raina.
It’s difficult for CSK to imagine IPL without Dhoni. When MSD eventually decides to call it a day, it would be big shoes to fill in. Raina, however, said he could step in. “He has done well in the last couple of years as a batsman as well team mentor. So probably you may see me more next year when he is done but I need more of his calibre. But he will continue as long as he wants to play for Chennai, you know him and Chennai,” he added.
Raina was in awe of Dhoni’s masterclass behind the stumps against Delhi Daredevils. Two lightning-quick stumpings gave enough proof to Dhoni’s brilliant reflexes, even at the age of 37.
“It was brilliant. It shows how compact he is. In the last couple of years when he was playing for India also, he has done amazing stumpings that shows how involved he is in the game. Dhoni is smart in predicting the turn of the ball. Only he knows how much does a ball turn from middle and leg,” Raina said.
