Sunil Gavaskar recently acclaimed Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper MS Dhoni for his management skills ahead of the future Indian Premier League (IPL) season. The cricketer-turned-commentator stated how Dhoni got the team together to victory the IPL 2018 trophy.
For the inexperienced, the Chennai-based franchise made its way back into the match after serving a 2-year ban. According to the reports, CSK and RR were suspended for 2 years for their involvement in the 2013 corruption ignominy.
Talking to Star Sports, Sunil Gavaskar said:
“I think when CSK returned and won the IPL trophy, it was absolutely amazing because the team had not been together for two years and they had moved out with different franchises and suddenly they come back again. That tells you leadership. That tells you how the man could get a team together again after that gap.”
He continued:
“Sometimes you know, first year, second year there is a team spirit that happens but to get all of them together after the gap is remarkable.”
Chennai made an excellent return, finishing 2nd in the league stage. They overcome SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) by 8 wickets at the Wankhede Stadium to lift the title.
“The team required 20 odd runs at the end of the over and he just smashed it” – Sunil Gavaskar on MS Dhoni
Sunil Gavaskar also retained MS Dhoni’s vaunt with the bat in the IPL 2018 season, where he accumulated 455 runs in 16 matches at an average of 75.83, including 3 half-centuries.
“I think therefore that particular year and some of the shots that he played, I remember one game where the teams needed 20 odds runs in the final over and he just smashed it around from everywhere from outside the off stump, he was hitting it over long on for sixes!” he said.
Gavaskar continued:
“We were used to seeing that from Dhoni but even those little touches of his where he makes a fielder, a player feel 7 feet tall, are the touches that make him stand out from the other.”
Also read:- “Can’t be happier that he is playing for CSK?” Fans say as Ben Stokes Joins MS Dhoni ahead of IPL