Dhoni takes blame for CSK's defeat: 'I should have converted a couple of more shots'

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni has taken the blame for his team not being able to score 35 runs off the last three overs, and 15 off the last over, after Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) denied them two points in another thriller at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Dhoni had walked out to bat in the 17th over to join a well-set Ravindra Jadeja, and though he hit a six off Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the 19th over, he fell lbw to left-arm seamer Yash Dayal in the final over. He left CSK needing 13 off the last three balls. CSK's Impact Player Shivam Dube swatted his first ball, a beamer, for six, but he couldn't get the job done. CSK ended up losing by two runs.

"Well, I think looking at [that] over, when I went into that with the kind of deliveries and the runs needed, I felt I should have converted maybe a couple of more shots, and that would have eased the pressure," Dhoni said at the post-match presentation. "So, I would take the blame for it."

After being asked to bat first, RCB posted 213, with Romario Shepherd smashing a 14-ball half-century at the end. Shepherd helped RCB thump 54 runs off the last two overs, and finished with an unbeaten 53 off 14 balls, including six sixes and four fours.

"Other than that, I thought they got off to a good start. In between, we pulled it back," Dhoni said. "But Romario Shepherd, in the death overs, was brilliant. Whatever our bowlers were bowling, he was able to get maximum runs."

Dhoni felt that CSK's bowlers needed to execute yorkers better to keep the batters in check during the slog overs.

"I think we need to practise more yorkers because if you see more often than not, when the batsman starts to connect, then you have to rely on yorkers and [minimise] the margin of error," Dhoni said. "So, if you're looking for a perfect yorker, [and] if that doesn't happen, a low full toss is the next best thing because it's one of the most difficult balls to hit. I think that's where we need to improve.

"And somebody like a [Matheesha] Pathirana, you know, if the yorkers are not happening, he has pace. He can bowl a bouncer at the same time, [and] keep the batsman guessing. Because, at times, if he's looking for the yorker, batsmen try to line him up, and if he misses, the batsman has a chance of hitting."

Karthik hails Dayal's 'outstanding' effort

RCB's batting coach Dinesh Karthik praised left-arm seamer Dayal for holding his nerve in the final over, and taking RCB across the line. Dayal defended 14 runs with a dew-slicked ball to put RCB on top of the points table.

"Well, it'll take a humongous effort to stop them scoring the runs that were left in the last over. But Yash being Yash, the way he delivered, [it was] outstanding," Karthik said. "I think it was a very good team effort. Sometimes these kind of games really uplift the mood and we're very happy with how it transpired today."

Karthik pointed to Dayal's "work ethic" as something that stood out.

"I think he's right up there with some of the best that are there in India," he said. "The one thing that you see with the young crop of cricketers is how much they work hard at their cricket behind the scenes. Yash is again someone who's very diligent. [He] will come to bowling meetings with a paper [and] write down everything. And he's very, very sure about what he wants to do.

"Yes, the execution could be up and down with him at times. But the one thing that you get, not get less from his effort. He always knows what to do. [He] bowls to a plan. And when he's able to deliver his yorkers, he feels so good about himself. And that's one of the reasons why we retained him- because he's got a special skill. And he's someone who can handle pressure well. Same game, one year ago, he did it for us. And yet again today, he did a nice job for us."