"It is going to be experience or decline of CSK?" - Former CSK legend questions MS Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu's role in IPL 2023
Former Australian and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) opener Matthew Hayden feels that experienced players in the team like MS Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu will need to be active contributors with the bat for the IPL 2023 season.
CSK have often faced criticism for their ploy of backing players on the wrong side of their thirties, and hence got the name 'Dad's Army'. Although they won the IPL in 2018, Hayden feels that with experience, performances should also be delivered by the aged players in the squad.
Speaking to Star Sports, here's what Matthew Hayden had to say about the expectations from MS Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu:
“They have had this for a little is that they're kind of a Dad's Army - a tagline that they seem to have received. This year is a little bit the same as well. MS Dhoni is of an age like Ambati Rayudu where they really need to be key players, not just have the potential as leaders of the team. So those two key players in particular, with that age of their side, is it going to be experience or is it going to be decline of CSK?”
Sunil Gavaskar on MS Dhoni's captaincy during IPL 2018 season
Former Indian legendary batter Sunil Gavaskar had also given his opinion earlier on Star Sports about how MS Dhoni's captaincy inspired CSK to their third title in 2018. Gavaskar feels that after being absent from the IPL for two years, getting the players together and delivering a title in the very first season was an outstanding achievement from Dhoni.
On this, Gavaskar stated:
"I think when CSK returned and won the IPL trophy, it was absolutely amazing because the team had not been together for two years and they had moved out with different franchises and suddenly they come back again. That tells you leadership. That tells you how the man could get a team together again after that gap.
"Sometimes you know, first year, second year there is a team spirit that happens but to get all of them together after the gap is remarkable."
With the format back to being home-and-away, CSK will want to give their level best and win a record-equalling fifth IPL title in what could be Dhoni's final season.