"Dhoni has been remarkable in his captaincy" - Sourav Ganguly heaps praise on CSK skipper after Qualifier 1 victory
Former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly was full of praise for MS Dhoni and the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for their ability to win big matches.
Ganguly made the remarks after CSK defeated the Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 in Chennai on May 23 to reach a record 10th IPL final.
Speaking to India Today, the 50-year-old Ganguly said:
"Chennai Super Kings and MS Dhoni have been fantastic. They have shown how to win big matches. Dhoni has been remarkable in his captaincy. He has shown how to win big matches."
Sourav Ganguly is currently the director of cricket operations for the Delhi Capitals (DC). They endured a difficult season, finishing second to last on the IPL 2023 points table.
The pair of Dhoni and Ganguly were two of the most successful Indian captains of all time, winning 48 Tests and 186 ODI victories combined.
While Sourav Ganguly led India to the final of the 2003 ODI World Cup final in South Africa, Dhoni led the Men in Blue to the title in the 2011 ODI World Cup at home.
MS Dhoni has also led CSK to four IPL titles, one short of the Mumbai Indians. He also became the first player to captain a franchise in 200 matches earlier this season.
Chennai will face the winner of Qualifier 2 between the Gujarat Titans and the Mumbai Indians in the final in Ahmedabad on Sunday, May 28.
"The IPL is a huge tournament and they have done exceptionally well" - Sourav Ganguly on the talents that have impressed in IPL 2023
Sourav Ganguly picked a few players who have impressed during the ongoing IPL season and praised their ability to do well in a marquee tournament.
Ganguly listed out Rinku Singh, Dhruv Jurel, and Yashasvi Jaiswal, among others, as players who have impressed him.
"Rinku Singh has played well, Dhruv Jurel has played well and Yashasvi Jaiswal also did well," Ganguly said. "Jitesh ( Sharma) played well for Punjab Kings. Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma have played well. The IPL is a huge Tournament and they have done exceptionally well."
Several experts have picked Rinku Singh and Yashasvi Jaiswal as the standout batters of this season's IPL.
Rinku has emerged as one of the best finishers in the tournament, scoring 474 runs at an average of 59.25 and a strike rate of 149.53.
Jaiswal, on the other hand, has been the best top-order batter among the younger lot, scoring 625 runs at an average of 48.08 and a strike rate of 163.61.
Unfortunately for the duo, the Rajasthan Royals and the Kolkata Knight Riders did not qualify for the playoffs, thus bringing down the curtains on their incredible individual seasons.