"If there is any person you want to take those tough chances, he is probably your guy" - Devon Conway on MS Dhoni's high-pressure catches against RCB
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) opening batter Devon Conway praised MS Dhoni for claiming two high-pressure catches against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Monday, April 17.
CSK were put under the pump while defending the 227-run target courtesy of Faf du Plessis (62 off 33) and Glenn Maxwell's (76 off 36) brute aggression. The pair put on 126 runs for the third wicket following a bleak start to the run chase.
The visiting side were back in the contest after they managed to dismiss both set batters in the space of two overs. Both dismissals saw Dhoni claim sky-high catches, which had an air-time of over five seconds. Prior to the fall of the wickets, CSK were guilty of dropping multiple simple catches.
Crediting Dhoni for pulling off those catches at a critical juncture of the game, Conway said during the post-match press conference:
"Those were tough catches, it is not easy to catch balls that go straight up in the air in the dark night. Very crucial for us and we were lucky to have MS with the gloves on. If there is any person you want to take those tough chances, he is probably your guy. It was good for us, broke the momentum in their innings, and ultimately helped us win the game."
Maheesh Theeksana and Ruturaj Gaikwad dropped crucial catches while Moeen Ali was also far from his best with his fielding efforts.
Speaking about CSK's fielding performance, Conway said:
"No one tries to drop catches on purpose, these things just happen. I don't know if there was any pressure on the fielders tonight or what it was, but thankfully it was not costly for us. We have just got to keep practicing under pressure. Thankfully, we bowled well in the death, so that helped us repair those dropped catches."
To their credit, CSK managed to hold onto the catches towards the end of the game. The four-time IPL champions won the contest by eight runs to climb to the third spot in the points table.
"MS told us that we will be put under pressure at times" - Devon Conway
After being put into bat first, CSK amassed 226-6 on the board, with Devon Conway leading the way with a sublime 86-run knock. While a 227-run target is considered more than just safe on most occasions, there is no concept of an ideal first-innings total at the M. Chinnswamy Stadium.
Despite claiming two early wickets, RCB caught up with the required rate in no time. Faf du Plessis and Glenn Maxwell recorded their respective fifties and tilted the game in RCB's favor before CSK started taking wickets.
Admitting that they always had the belief to work their way back into the contest with a couple of wickets, Conway said:
"Before we went into the field in the second innings, MS told us that we will be put under pressure at times. So, the momentum that they had was brilliant."
Conway continued:
"Faf and Maxwell put us under pressure, but we always felt that having 200 plus on the board, if we get a couple of wickets, we can always bounce back. For our bowlers, it was about staying clear, staying patient and when the opportunity comes, taking it with both hands."
CSK will next face the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at home on Friday, April 21.