IPL 2020 | We are better off playing the other way around from now, reckons MS Dhoni
Dhoni bashed his team for showing no intent
|IPL
MS Dhoni has hinted at a change in approach by the Chennai Super Kings batsmen from the next game as he bashed the approach shown by the batsmen in the middle-overs. While he praised the bowling unit, he has admitted that there are too many holes in the ship which need to be fixed.
Another game and same approach. Despite losing four games in the past for the similar kind of mindset, Chennai Super Kings didnât change any of their plans and eventually lost their fifth game as their league campaign reached their half-way mark. Chasing a total of 170 runs, the openers were out of place, middle-order batsmen were more interested in playing dot balls as their southern neighbours Royal Challengers Bangalore romped home in a canter. Dhoni minced no words in criticizing the players for the lack of intent shown in the game.
âBatting has been a bit of a worry and today also it was evident. We need to do something about it. We can't keep turning up and it is almost the same thing that is happening maybe the individuals are different but I think we are better off playing the other way round - play the big shots and even if you get out it is fine because we can't leave too many after the 15th or 16th over that just puts too much pressure on the lower order batsmen,â Dhoni said in the post-match presentation.
âOur batting has lacked a bit of you can say power more from the 6th over onwards, individuals get tentative and no matter how much confidence you are giving them, ultimately they have to have their own plan as to how to play. We have not been able to adapt and plan for bowlers bowling from 6-14 overs.â
Despite being one of the best death-overs in the whole of Indian Premier League, CSK let the game slip away in the death overs against RCB, with the Virat Kohli-led unit scoring as many as 74 runs in the last five overs. One of Sam Curranâs over went for 23 runs as CSK, instead of chasing a total between 140 and 150, the men in Yellow had to face a daunting task of scoring 170 runs.Â
MS Dhoni stated that bowling needs to be better as well, especially in the closing stage of the games. The Chennai Super Kings skipper also added that following the process is important because thinking about the previous games so much and then forgetting the other attributes while turning up for a fresh game can be daunting from a team perspective.
âI think the last 4 overs when we were bowling (didn't go to plan), before that the bowlers had done a good job, we needed to close in nicely. I always told the players to focus more on the process - when you start thinking about results of the previous game, you put a burden. With the bowling we've shown we can restrict the opposition. We're either leaking at the start or in the last four.Â
âThere are too many holes in the ship. I think overall you have to look at the combination, how many spinners, the fast bowlers. There's always one spot you can play around. We started with five bowlers, now we have six. But our main worry remains the batting department. In the coming games we'll try to be more expressive. You'd rather get out in 16th or 17th over instead of staying till the end and losing like this,â Dhoni concluded.
