IPL 2018 | I think the bowlers let us down to some extent, says MS Dhoni

Rajasthan Royals defeated Chennai Super Kings by 4 wickets at Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Friday as the CSK bowlers failed to defend a healthy total of 178. Jos Buttler’s heroic unbeaten 95 runs off balls proved to be the decisive innings as it kept his side in the hunt for a playoffs spot.

Dhoni revealed that their bowlers were told to bowl on a certain length, which they failed to execute and hence, got punished for their errors. Dhoni insisted that it was not the planning that went wrong, but it was the execution that was not properly done, which resulted in their loss. He stated that bowlers were the main reason for their loss.

"I think it is the bowling. We had to bowl one particular length and the bowlers were instructed on what they need to bowl and where they need to bowl. That back of the length was a difficult one to hit. We at least got hit 4-5 boundaries off full length.

"What really happens is once you are told what to bowl, you need to be bowling to that area. They need to commit and execute. It is not the planning but the execution that goes haywire," said Dhoni in the post-match presentation as quoted by India Today. 

"That was a par score or a par plus score. I think the bowlers let us down to some extent," he added.

Jos Buttler in his innings of 95 was dropped thrice and he made sure he made full use of them by scoring 12 runs in the last over to get Rajasthan over the line. Shane Watson, Dwayne Bravo and Dhoni were the players who dropped the catches. 

Dhoni believed that though there may be some scope to improve, but it was the best CSK could get out of their players. 

"Looking at the XI that we have on the field, we did well in the field. We can say we can get better, but with the players we have, this is the best we can get."

With one leg in the playoffs, CSK stand tall at 14 points in 11 games. They might require winning 2 of their next three games to qualify in the top two. Dhoni felt that the players need to start executing the plans properly and bowlers need to strategize their bowling. 

"It is important to start delivering when it comes to the planning part. You just don't want to qualify into the knockout stages, you have to win games. You also need to adjust to what length to bowl and how to bowl," said the 36-year-old.

Chennai's next three games are against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Delhi Daredevils and Kings XI Punjab respectively.