'I keep assessing from behind wicket, I am always involved' - MS Dhoni on keeping his teammates motivated during crunch moments

The 24th game of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 featured a fiery clash between the Faf du Plessis-led Royal Challengers Bangalore and the four-time champions Chennai Super Kings at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Monday, April 17.

After Chennai’s thrilling win, the skipper of the four-time champions, MS Dhoni, came forward and touched upon a variety of topics. After Chennai almost lost the game to Bangalore despite posting a mammoth target, Dhoni came forward to defend the young bowlers in the side.

"It is a difficult one for the youngsters, especially at this time of the year with the dew around. But they are working hard. Bravo is one of the specialists. Under him, the bowlers will gain confidence. It’s a team game. The coach, the bowling coach, and the senior players guide them," MS Dhoni said in the post-match presentation.

He also talked about how he constantly tries to help his teammates from behind the stumps, saying, “I keep assessing from behind the wicket, I am always involved in what needs to be done rather than thinking about the result." 

He is someone who can hit cleanly: Dhoni on Shivam Dube

In the first innings, against Royal Challengers Bangalore, Chennai put in a fabulous performance with the bat. Devon Conway propelled the team to a great start as he amassed 83 runs to his name in 45 deliveries. Furthermore, it was a quick-fire knock by Shivam Dube that helped Chennai post 226 runs on the board after 20 overs. The 29-year-old scored 52 runs in 27 deliveries in the middle order to further mount pressure on Bangalore.

Skipper MS Dhoni praised Dube after the game, saying, "He is someone who can hit cleanly. He has an issue with the fast bowlers, but he’s a clean hitter against the spinners. We had certain plans for him, but unfortunately, when he arrived at the camp, he was injured, so we couldn’t work with him. We feel he’s someone he can deliver. He needs to believe in that more than us. We can only guide to a certain extent, but once you cross the boundary ropes into the field, you are on your own."