IPL 2019, Match 1: CSK vs RCB - 3 masterstrokes from Dhoni in the opening game
The much expected 12th edition of IPL begun today. The defending champions won the toss and elected to bat first. Virat Kohli also stated that he would have loved to bowl on the Chennai wicket. Dhoni surprised everyone as Chennai walked out to bowl only with the three overseas players.
Virat Kohli opened the innings with Parthiv Patel. RCB was off to a slow start on the slow wicket. Harbhajan drew the first blood for CSK as he dismissed the RCB captain for just six. The Chepauk wicket assisted massively for the spinners. Harbhajan went to pick the wickets of Moeen Ali and AB De Villiers in quick succession.
West Indies debutant Shimron Hetmyer got run out for a duck and no Bangalore batsman looked in the mood to stay on the wicket. Dhoni kept throwing the spinners and RCB kept losing wickets.
Eventually, RCB were bowled out for their third lowest score in IPL. Chennai took time in their chase but made sure they reached the target without much trouble to start the season with a win.
Dhoni, as usual, was best with his decisions and here are the three master strokes from Dhoni in the opening game.
#3 Playing with only three overseas bowlers
The former Indian captain is known for his smart decisions in the past. He has surprised everyone by picking only three overseas players that gave him the option to play with both the Indian spinners Jadeja and Harbhajan Singh.
Looking at the team composition, Dhoni had a clear plan of having variety in the spin department. Left-arm spinner Jadeja, right arm off-spinner Harbhajan Singh and right arm leg spinner Imran Tahir. The trio has picked eight wickets together.
One could debate that Dhoni could have gone with the Mitchell Santner but Chennai already has one experienced left spinner.