CSK bowling coach Eric Simons heaps praise on skipper MS after Monday’s five-wicket win over LSG; says he helps others understand the game and remain calm
CSK skipper MS Dhoni slams one during his unbeaten 11-ball 26 vs LSG at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on Monday. Pic/PTI
He is Thala for a reason. That reason has been there for everyone to see across 16 IPL seasons for the Chennai Super Kings. Over the years, his popularity among the cricket fans countrywide has not waned and even at the ripe age of 43 years, the third oldest to play in the IPL, he still has enough charisma to draw the crowds towards him. Mahendra Singh Dhoni, his yellow jersey and his skills were on display at the Ekana Stadium on Monday night.
ADVERTISEMENT
The stands were filled to the rafters, almost all donning the No. 7 jerseys and he did not disappoint them. On his previous two visits to Lucknow, he could not display his winning touch; the first time, in 2023, the game was washed out, and last year, he made a quickfire unbeaten 28 off nine deliveries, yet ended on the losing side. But, it was third time lucky for the MSD fans as his magic was on display in full glory.
Also Read: Iyer claims ICC Player of the Month award
Eric Simons
End of losing streak
The way CSK entered the match against Lucknow Super Giants, having lost five on the trot, they would have required a providential intervention to turn things around.
At the pre-match media interaction, CSK coach Stephen Fleming had said that Dhoni does not have a magic wand to change the fortune of the floundering team in a flash. But, that’s what Dhoni did with his leadership skills, vast experience, and calm and composed approach to put his stamp on the match by bagging the Man of the Match award after six years.
Brilliant run out
Whenever it seems that the end is nigh for Dhoni, he makes a statement. On Tuesday, the way he under-armed the ball from far behind the stumps to run out Abdul Samad at the bowler’s end was brilliant. The stumping to dismiss Ayush Badoni was routine for him.
His marshalling of the bowling resources was top class and the icing on the cake was his familiar role of a finisher, taking his team across the line in the company of Shivam Dube. There has never been a doubt, whether captaining the side or not, that Dhoni has been a major influence on CSK for almost two decades.
At the post-match media interaction, CSK bowling coach Eric Simons emphasised Dhoni’s calmness and influence on the team. “You know, the fact that he’s captain or not — he’s the same person. It didn’t change when he wasn’t, in terms of his actual influence on the team. He’s obviously a very important part of our setup.”
He added: “It’s a pity that [injured] Ruturaj [Gaikwad] is not there to play and be our captain and our leader, but MS has always been like that. As I said, it doesn’t feel like a massive change because he’s always been there to give advice, give thoughts, give inputs. And as I said, he’s always a calming influence and gives a great level of understanding about how cricket should be played. His wisdom is tremendous.”
Influence on players
Commenting on Dhoni’s role in the team’s revival, Simons said, “His influence has been there all the time. His relationship with all the players is very important. It’s not that he teaches typical technical issues about the game, but it’s the calmness that you see out there — that’s how he teaches you to play the game. He teaches an understanding of cricket, which is a very important aspect of the game. So that influence, that calmness that he brings, has always been there, but tonight we saw it once again. Hopefully, it’s the start of a turnaround for our team.”
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
