IPL 2021: "It seems like for the first time in the IPL that Dhoni is comfortable with his seam bowlers" - Sanjay Manjrekar
Sanjay Manjrekar feels that MS Dhoni is finally comfortable rotating his seam and fast bowlers, the same way he did use to rotate his spinners.
Manjrekar said that the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper is enjoying captaining his fast bowlers. CSK have the luxury of having different varieties of fast bowlers in their ranks.
Deepak Chahar and Josh Hazlewood can swing the ball either way and are highly effective during the initial overs. Shardul Thakur is a hit-the-deck bowler and is comfortable bowling in any situation of the game. CSK also have one of the most successful death bowlers in the IPL in Dwayne Bravo.
Sam Curran didn't have a great outing in the previous game against the Kolkata Knight Riders but is a great asset to the side with his left-arm pace and hard-hitting abilities with the bat.
While talking to ESPNcricinfo, Manjrekar previewed today's clash between CSK and SRH. He said:
"It seems like for the first time in the IPL, Dhoni is comfortable with his fast bowlers, or seam bowlers. Like how he used to rotate his spinners in the slow turning pitches, the same way he's rotating his seamers pretty well. And it seems like he's enjoying it. The results are fruitful as well."
Chennai Super Kings are still undefeated in the UAE leg of the IPL 2021, and their bowlers deserve a fair amount of credit for it.
Shardul Thakur's contribution goes unnoticed: Sanjay Manjrekar
Manjrekar praised CSK's pacer Shardul Thakur. He feels that Thakur is an unsung hero in the CSK lineup, whose contribution goes unnoticed at times.
The Maharashtra-born pacer has steadily found his rhythm in bowling, scalping five wickets in the three matches he has played in the UAE this season for his side. The 29-year old received plaudits for his wicket-taking ability at crucial moments.
Manjrekar said:
"Faf, Chahar, Gaikwad and Shardul Thakur are kind of unsung heroes for CSK. Especially Thakur. You can see that his career has always been like that. His contribution goes unnoticed. If the opposition gets a partnership going at the other end, Thakur usually breaks the partnership and allows his side to get back in the contest. At the end, his economy shows a figure of 8 or 9, but he does the job for his team."
The current table-toppers' next test will be up against a team who are at the foot of the table - Sunrisers Hyderabad. It will be a 'Southern derby' at Sharjah. CSK will look to gain another two points today to solidify their place in the top two of the table.