"Need to cut them out otherwise they'll be playing under a new captain" - MS Dhoni on CSK bowlers conceding extra runs vs LSG
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper MS Dhoni warned the bowlers after they conceded too many extras during their first home game against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Monday, April 3.
The Super Kings returned to winning ways in IPL 2023, beating Lucknow by 12 runs at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. Although they managed to defend 217, they conceded quite a few runs at the back end of the game.
The bowlers were wayward and gave away too many extras. CSK conceded 16 runs in wides and no-ball combined, which didn't go down well with Dhoni.
Speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony, the CSK skipper insisted that the bowlers will have to play under a new captain if they continue to bowl wides and no-balls. MS Dhoni feels they need to improve as a fast-bowling unit before their next game.
"Fast bowling we need to slightly improve. Need to bowl according to the conditions. What is important is to keep an eye as to what the opposition bowlers are doing. One more thing is they'll have to bowl no no-balls or extra wides. Need to cut them out otherwise they'll be playing under a new captain. It will be my second warning and then I'll be off."
In their first match against the Gujarat Titans (GT) in Ahmedabad, Chennai conceded six extra runs, including four wides and two no-balls.
"I was quite surprised with the wicket" - MS Dhoni
Chennai is known to produce slow wickets but surprisingly it was a good batting wicket on Monday. The game between CSK and LGS witnessed over 400 runs being scored.
MS Dhoni also expressed his surprise to see the wicket behave like this, after having predicted it be on the slower side ahead of the fixture.
"All of us were thinking how the wicket would be," he continued. "It was the perfect first game that could happen. I thought it would be much slower. But it was a wicket where you could score runs. I was quite surprised with the wicket. But we'll have to see if we can produce a wicket like this game after game."
Chennai now have one win and one defeat from two matches. The four-time IPL champions will be back in action on Saturday, April 8, when they take on Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Wankhede Stadium.