IPL 2018: More than the defeat, MS Dhoni miffed with the fielders not being attentive

It is always a rare sight that Ravindra Jadeja who is touted as one of the best fielders in the country drops catches. He fluffed a couple of them off consecutive deliveries in the game against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Thursday which cost the team. Sunil Narine was the reprieved batsman who rode his luck then and went on to score 32 runs off 20 balls. However, MS Dhoni looked unhappy with the shoddy fielding effort from his teammates which eventually proved to be the reason for their defeat.

Chennai had posted a decent total of 177 runs after being invited to bat first courtesy the steady start from the openers and a finishing kick provided by Dhoni. But the hosts were clever in the chase and never allowed them to make a comeback despite losing early wickets. While Jadeja dropped catches, even Harbhajan Singh fumbled in the deep and conceded a boundary when only a single must have been given. No wonder the captain was upset as he also went on give the example of Michael Hussey who was always attentive on the field.

Commitment like Hussey is needed

MS Dhoni, while speaking in the post-match presentation, expressed his dissatisfaction over the team not giving their 100 percent on the field. “But what is more disappointing (than the defeat) is guys are not aware on the field. Your speed might not be too much but you have to be attentive in the field. A classic example is Hussey, when he was playing for CSK he was not the quickest but he used to anticipate really well and that used to give him extra second. That is the kind of commitment needed in the field,” he said.

Though he directly didn’t put blame on any player, it was clear that he was pointing at the missed catches from Jadeja. “If no one is bowling well, keep shuffling bowlers around. If no one does well, the game will be over soon. We are slightly on and off in the field,” he added.

After the defeat, CSK have lost their top position to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and will now face Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Saturday in Pune.

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