It took just 11 deliveries for MS Dhoni to rewrite the narrative of Chennai Super Kings’ faltering campaign. Under pressure, behind the rate, and staring at another defeat, Dhoni’s late-over destruction flipped the script and ignited life into a CSK side desperately seeking momentum. His explosive 26-run cameo not only brought victory but also brought back belief.
The IMPACT player does it with MAX IMPACT 🤩
Shivam Dube 🤝 MS Dhoni with a match-winning partnership 💛@ChennaiIPL are 🔙 to winning ways 😎
Scorecard ▶ https://t.co/jHrifBlqQC #TATAIPL | #LSGvCSK pic.twitter.com/AI2hJkT9Dt
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 14, 2025
For weeks, CSK had been their own worst enemy in run-chases — starting slow, relying on too much from too few, and leaving too much for the end. But this time, something changed.
The spark came early. On debut, Shaik Rasheed looked unbothered by the occasion, timing the ball sweetly and finding the gaps with ease. Alongside him, Rachin Ravindra found his rhythm early, and together they gave Chennai a rare gift — a head start in the powerplay. For once, they weren’t chasing the required rate. They were ahead of it.
But no CSK chase would be complete without a wobble. Lucknow’s spin trio — Digvesh Rathi, Aiden Markram, and Ravi Bishnoi — slowed things down, tightening the screws and forcing errors. As boundaries dried up and pressure built, the match teetered.
Ravi Bishnoi, the most threatening of the trio, had overs in hand — but curiously, he wasn’t brought back when Dhoni walked in at the 16th over. LSG’s decision to turn to pace instead of spin at that point will be questioned long after the dust settles. Perhaps the fear of Shivam Dube — well-set and dangerous — influenced Pant’s call. But whatever the thinking, it unraveled quickly.
The veteran didn’t need sighters. Dhoni unleashed vintage power-hitting with cold precision, picking apart the pacers with devastating effect. He left no margin for error, no bowler unscathed. And when he connected, the momentum swung — violently and irreversibly — in CSK’s favor.
Earlier in the first innings, Rishabh Pant finally found his rhythm when his team needed it the most. On a sluggish Ekana surface where run-making came at a premium, the Lucknow Super Giants skipper stood tall with a gritty 63 off 49 deliveries, guiding his side to a competitive 166/7 against Chennai Super Kings on Monday.
Chennai Super Kings (Playing XI): Shaik Rasheed, Rachin Ravindra, Rahul Tripathi, Vijay Shankar, Ravindra Jadeja, Jamie Overton, MS Dhoni(w/c), Anshul Kamboj, Noor Ahmad, Khaleel Ahmed, Matheesha Pathirana
Lucknow Super Giants (Playing XI): Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, Rishabh Pant(w/c), David Miller, Abdul Samad, Shardul Thakur, Avesh Khan, Akash Deep, Digvesh Singh Rathi
