Sunday, February 9, 2025

Bhogle finds Dhoni ‘spent’; social media erupts in support: IPL





Commentator Harsha Bhogle is facing flak on social media for tweeting that Dhoni was “spent” in Chennai Super Kings’s match against Sunrisers Hyderabad which it lost by seven runs in the Indian Premier League 2020 in Dubai on Friday.

After CSK lost, Bhogle tweeted: “I can’t remember the last time I saw Dhoni as physically spent. Illustrates too how tough these conditions are.”

Chasing 164 runs to win, CSK fell short by seven runs—a target which appeared way beyond them when they lost their top order cheaply. But Dhoni, in company with Ravindra Jadeja, revived the innings with 47 made off 36 balls at a strike rate of 130.00.

The twitteratis were quick to join the issue with Bhogle. Tweeted one:

“People are expecting 39-year-old Dhoni to not feel fatigued after keeping for 20 overs in the Dubai heat when even 22-year-old Ishan Kishan faced the same issue the other day.” Read another: “…the commitment Dhoni shows is inspirational. Converting ones into two even after breathlessness. Something to learn…”

Fellow commentator and once India opener Aakash Chopra too came out in defence of Dhoni.  Tweeted Chopra:

“The legacy of Dhoni tells you to keep believing Even when he’s visibly physically spent and isn’t timing the ball well either. There’s something deep inside telling you to ‘not give up.” Or may be…It’s just me??”

Dhoni later also faulted his approach in the game but in a different context. He said that his approach to the chase was wrong. While there was a need to time the ball, he was going for power and couldn’t middle his shot hence.

“I was not able to middle a lot of deliveries. Was trying to hit it too hard. When the wicket is slightly at the slower side, it is better to time it. Looking at outfield it was subconsciously coming to us to hit the ball hard. Tried to get as much as time as possible,” he said.

Dhoni was spotted going breathless time and time again in later parts of the chase. He took a few breaks, sipped water but still didn’t look comfortable.

“It is quite dry out here. So, the throat gets dry and you start to cough. When you have legal signs, you can take some time off, ” Dhoni said about his situation in the middle.

CSK have now suffered three defeats on the trot, something that the fans aren’t used to seeing. As far as the course correction goes, Dhoni admitted that the team seems to be getting too relaxed in the middle and there’s a need to get a lot of things right. 

“Long time back once we lost three in a row. We need to get a lot of things right. It is the professionalism. We need to take our catches not bowl no-balls. Those are the controllables and may be we are getting too relaxed. We have been a bit too relaxed at times. After the 16th over, we had two good overs but overall we could have been slightly better.”

This was the 194th IPL game for Dhoni which made him the most capped player of the tournament ahead of his teammate Suresh Raina. He has aggregated 4,476 runs in 173 IPL innings, his average being 42.23 at a strike rate of 137.89. He is one of the five players who have completed 4,500 runs in IPL.

Chennai Super Kings has claimed 3 IPL trophies under his captaincy. It has also lifted two Champions League trophy under him.  


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