Faf explains why Dhoni is unstoppable

PUNE : At 130 for three, Chennai Super Kings were in a similar position as their last game against the Mumbai Indians. Like Saturday’s game, the foundation was set for MS Dhoni to go for the kill.

This time the result was different. While against Mumbai Dhoni’s big push was stifled, on Monday, with Ambati Rayudu (41) for company, Dhoni played another gem of an innings to help Super Kings post 211, the fourthhighest total of the season.

His 22-ball 51, laced with two boundaries and five sixes, earned praise from South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis.

“He is in good form at the moment and it’s extremely tough to bowl to him when he is form like that because he has got such a big arch and if you want to bowl wide he can still hit you to the leg side. So he has got lot of options so it makes life difficult for the bowler to plan and bowl to him, and even a captain where they want to put the field because he can hit any ball to wherever he wants to,” said Du Plessis after Super Kings’ 13-run win over the Daredevils.

It was Dhoni’s third fifty of the season, which took his tally to 286 runs after eight matches with a strike rate of 169.23 which is his best since IPL’S inception in 2008 and way above his career strike rate of 138.73.

Bowling consultant Eric Simons too praised Dhoni. “He senses where the game changes. It’s more about him understanding where the game is going and allowing his strengths to move with it. So his evolution is about how he understands the game than him trying to be technically different.”

Du Plessis praised Rayudu, who played another useful knock and is the Orange Cap holder with 370 runs from eight matches.

“The flexibility that Rayudu has had has really impressed me. I’ve enjoyed him bat this IPL. The ability to come in and score boundaries from the first ball is a very difficult skill, not a lot of people can do that. With Suresh (Raina) at three and him (Rayudu) at four and if we get off to a solid start at the top, two can come in and play their natural game which is dangerous for the opposition. We are fortunate we have got lot of options.”

He has got lot of options so it makes life difficult for the bowler to plan and bowl to him and even a captain where he wants to put the field.

FAF DU PLESSIS, On MS Dhoni