MI vs CSK | Player Ratings - MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina fail to deliver as Mumbai Indians hand Chennai Super Kings their first loss of IPL 2019

MI vs CSK | Player Ratings - MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina fail to deliver as Mumbai Indians hand Chennai Super Kings their first loss of IPL 2019

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Chasing a target of 171 runs, MS Dhoni tried his usual formula of taking the game deep, but failure in doing so resulted in Chennai Super Kings ending up on the wrong side of the result. While Kedar Jadhav hit a half-century, he failed to accelerate when needed, making the game a one-sided affair.

Ambati Rayudu (1/10): Would you be surprised if I say Ambati Rayudu was dismissed for zero tonight? No, right? That is how it should be from now. It is a shambolic performance by the man, who made everyone sit up and take notice of him last year. Rayudu seems to have lost everything that brought him back to the national team and made him the team management’s favourite candidate for the No.4 position. 

Shane Watson (2/10): The Australian couldn’t pick Jason Behrendroff from the very first ball of the game and his rustiness was sweetly exploited by Lasith Malinga at the other end. Trying to hit the ball on the up, the Aussie slashed one over the top of his body and Kieron Pollard was alert enough to grab that offering. Watson could have been more sensible after Rayudu’s dismissal. 

Suresh Raina (4/10): Unlike Rayudu and Watson, the CSK vice-captain looked to be in good touch, but the old short ball problem resurfaced to cost him a big score. Ahead of tonight's clash, the host broadcaster revealed that Raina had been pretty good against the short balls in the last two matches, but trying to pick it up too early didn’t help his cause against Mumbai.

Kedar Jadhav (5/10): Jadhav had very little support from the other end, and even when MS Dhoni tried to assert himself on the crease, the mounting run-rate pressure took a toll on his natural batting. Looking at it objectively, it might come as a very selfish innings as at no point of the game was Jadhav trying for a win and his strike rate of 107.41 would signify that. 

MS Dhoni (3/10): When the CSK skipper was there in the middle, the hope was always there because of his ability to navigate the pressure with him before unleashing the final assault. However, Mumbai’s middle-over spin attack stopped him from taking the game deep. His methods are proven and trusted, but at times, it becomes all the more difficult to understand the required run-rate had soared over 12-run mark. Simply had to take chances earlier. 

Ravindra Jadeja (5.5/10): CSK might have made the run-chase look very difficult, in reality, the wicket was a normal Wankhede belter. Didn’t have the required bounce nor did it have any out-and-out support for the spinner. Jadeja stood out in that count, by just giving away 10 runs in two overs while also creating one chance at the top. His fielding helped him, but batting failure balanced that out.

Dwayne Bravo (2/10): CSK’s death-bowling specialist had an off-day, or rather suffered Hardik Pandya tonight. Was smacked all around the park in his entire four-over spell, and accuracy went for a toss. He had a chance of redeeming himself with some big hits, but that didn’t happen as well, giving him a forgettable night.

Deepak Chahar (6/10): On the other day, he would have bowled his entire four overs in one go, but MS immediately took him off the attack after he conceded 14 runs in his third over and he never bowled in the game after that. The performance still read 1/21 in three overs and that would be considered as a good performance in any match.

Mohit Sharma (3/10): Making his CSK comeback, Mohit Sharma was average with the ball, making it move in only away from the right-handers which eventually helped the batsmen find him an easy pick. The Haryana pacer was tutored by MS Dhoni to bowl on the stump lines, but he never really 

Shardul Thakur (6.5/10): It is Dhoni’s team and everyone else just follows his orders. Shardul Thakur definitely can’t bunk this theory as by using his directives alone, he ended up with a 9.25 economy rate despite being hit for 16 runs in the last over. He bowled wide full-tosses and without even trying to bowl any yorker, he kept the batsmen guessing. That says something about the confidence the players are getting from behind the stumps.

Imran Tahir (7.5/10): Turning out to be an impressive performer for Chennai Super Kings with every match. Tahir, despite not being famous for his economy rate, wreaked havoc in Mumbai with his spin once again, conceding only 25 runs and dismissed Yuvraj Singh in the process. Unlike Shreyas Gopal yesterday, Tahir actually experimented with his natural deliveries and varied the pace so as to leave the hosts’ batsmen confused.

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