Former South Africa captain Graeme Smith reckons MS Dhoni returning to the helm of Chennai Super Kings halfway through TATA IPL is good news for the fans but Dhoni the captain will be expecting his teammates to step up in order to change the team’s fortunes in the most exciting IPL season.
CSK were languishing at the bottom half of the points table with two wins in eight games under the captaincy of Ravindra Jadeja but the Saurashtra all-rounder decided to relinquish the responsibility midway and asked Dhoni to take over the team’s reigns again.
Speaking on Cricket Live on Star Sports, Smith said, “MS Dhoni’s got the experience, he knows how to read the moments. Obviously, he gave up the captaincy at the start and now he has to regroup the side. But the problem is, he needs his Chennai Super Kings teammates also to step up. That’s been the challenge for them throughout this season. With Dhoni returning to the helm, I am expecting a lot of fanfare and a big crowd coming in (to the stadium) and chanting the great man’s name.”
Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh claimed CSK can still make a comeback and put themselves in playoff contention if they return to the winning ways. The off-spinner added that CSK isn’t a side which gives up easily so expect a fightback.
Speaking on Cricket Live on Star Sports, Harbhajan said, “Chennai Super Kings have the power. This team is good at making comebacks. So far it hasn’t been their season as they haven’t been in their elements but in the two games that they’ve won, they have shown some promise. Now they have their tasks cut out i.e. win every game to remain in contention for the playoffs. The best thing about this team is that it does not get discouraged in defeat. This team is bound by a strong culture which comes from discipline towards cricket. With MS Dhoni also turning the clock back, CSK might just be able to script a comeback.”
Watch Chennai Super Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad on 1st May from 6:30 pm onwards on the Star Sports Network and Hotstar
