Dhoni effect on show as CSK find a way

By the time Shivam Dube got Chennai Super Kings (CSK) over the line at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on Monday, it was hard to tell which the home side was. Flags - because of the sticks - had not been allowed in, but the stands still glowed with the yellow of the CSK jerseys, celebrating despite the un-CSK-ness of the win.

It began with a bold call to bench two veterans. R Ashwin, he of the INR 9.5 crore tag, was left out to bring in a seam-bowling allrounder in Jamie Overton. Ashwin hadn't completed his quota of overs in three of the six games he had played and was expensive at 9.90.

Then there was Devon Conway, CSK's top scorer in their 2023 title run, dropped after just three games - likely for his slow starts. CSK had been the season's slowest in the powerplay. It paved the way for 20-year-old Shaik Rasheed's debut. Rahul Tripathi and Deepak Hooda had also been struggling along with Conway.

Rasheed had spent two full seasons with the squad before being re-signed at the mega auction last year. CSK have shown the propensity to pick players based on gut calls over the years. But, while there have been a few, like Ruturaj Gaikwad, who have moved up the ranks at CSK, those are the outliers. Many prolific domestic performers like B Aparajith, R Sai Kishore and N Jagadeesan have waited in the wings for multiple seasons, only to be released.

On Monday, Rasheed was opening in a T20 for the first time, and he showed he belonged, by trusting his technique and focusing on timing the ball rather than trying to smash the cover off it. He played some shots high on aesthetics - like a flick to a length ball from outside off that had more than a shade of M Vijay.

The Rasheed experiment also seemed to free up Rachin Ravindra to play the aggressor - the pair helped CSK get their best powerplay in the last five games. Rasheed hit six fours in his 19-ball 27, putting together 52 in just 4.5 overs with Ravindra. They ended the powerplay on 59 for 1. MS Dhoni later revealed Rasheed's move was out of necessity.

"He batted really well," Dhoni said at the post-match presentation. "He has been with us for quite a few years. Even last year, we've seen improvement, but this year, he has been batting really well in the nets, both against the fast bowlers and spinners. I felt we needed to make a few changes, because we were doing the same things and getting the same results.

"It's just the start. He has the capability to dominate, but with authentic shots. What's important is for him to keep playing the shots he has in his armoury and not try to hit like some of the other openers that are floating around."

Rasheed's knock gave CSK a strong start, but a familiar middle-overs dip - made worse by Dube's lack of rhythm - kept the pressure on. They only hit three boundaries between overs seven and 15, and the asking rate went from 7.69 to 11.20.

In past seasons, the Dube threat had often forced teams to avoid bowling spin in that phase. This ability to dominate spin, which also earned him a T20 World Cup ticket, reshaped CSK's batting. But in IPL 2025, Dube's lack of form against spin - a strike rate of 118.30 compared to 176.47 and 155.35 in 2023 and 2024 - has been amplified by the top order's inconsistency.

Yet, it was perhaps Dube's reputation that made Rishabh Pant hold back Ravi Bishnoi and turn to Shardul Thakur. But Dube's determination to finish the game in a season where his overall numbers have been poor spoke of a player ready to fight his own battles.

Even before Dube and Dhoni finished the game, CSK prowled - highlighted by Tripathi's anticipation and athleticism in running back from extra cover to catch Aiden Markram in the very first over to set the tone. After coach Stephen Fleming had criticised the "poor" fielding against Punjab Kings (PBKS), Monday's effort was a marked turnaround.

Ravindra Jadeja and Noor Ahmad then gave Dhoni crucial control in the middle overs, especially with Pant looking to break free. Noor's miserly 4-0-13-0 spell may have deserved the Player-of-the-Match award - something Dhoni agreed with while sheepishly accepting the award for his unbeaten 26 off 11.

On a surface that was familiar to CSK, Dhoni was at his best, expertly marshalling his spinners - the lone CSK trait in a win that pieced together just enough to spark hope in their fans.