Dhoni urges calm and clarity after CSK’s defeat to KKR, stresses need for partnerships and patience

Speaking to the official broadcaster after Chennai Super Kings' heavy loss to Kolkata Knight Riders on Friday night, Dhoni acknowledged the challenge but emphasized the need to accept it, find ways to handle tough deliveries, and focus on building a competitive total. "I felt we didn’t have enough runs on the board today," he remarked.

Hyderabad: M.S. Dhoni, who led for the first time this season in the absence of injured regular skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad, said it was important to look deep down inside.

Speaking to the official broadcaster after CSK suffered a humiliating defeat against Kolkata Knight Riders on Friday night, Dhoni said the challenge was there, but it’s important to accept that challenge,
figure out ways how you would tackle the difficult deliveries and then look to get runs on the board. Today I felt we didn’t really have enough runs on the board.”

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“I feel overall a bit more partnerships, a bit more runs, a bit more application and we’ll be on track. It is important to see the conditions. A couple of conditions where we have done well. We don’t want to match somebody else or some other team,” Dhoni said.

“We have quality openers and it is important not to get desperate seeing the scoreboard. A few boundaries and the score keeps moving, if we target 60, it gets tough. If we lose wickets, the middle order needs to do heavy-lifting and the slog never comes,” he said.

“What is important is that our openers are good and they just need to back themselves and play authentic cricket shots. They’re not the ones who will start slogging or look to hit across the line,” Dhoni said.

“But what is also important is not to get desperate seeing thescoreboard. You need maybe one or two boundaries and the run rate keeps on going. If you start looking for 60 in six overs with our line-up, it will be very difficult for us,” he said.

“It’s important to get partnerships going, maybe look to capitalise in the middle and the later overs. That’s what our strength will be. But if we lose too many wickets, the middle order needs to do its role differently and the slog has been delayed for quite a while,” Dhoni said.