A sea of yellow flooded Chepauk, waving flags, blowing whistles, and roaring with hope, but by the end of the night, it was a sea of stunned silence. Hearts sank as Royal Challengers Bengaluru shattered a 17-season-long curse, breaching the fortress that had so often been Chennai Super Kings’ unshakable stronghold. For CSK fans, watching the fortress fall is painful; watching it crumble so easily is heartbreaking.
But the wounds ran deeper than just the loss. Sloppy fielding turned hope into helplessness. Rajat Patidar, RCB’s top run-scorer, was handed not one, not two, but three lifelines, each drop catch- a dagger to the heart of the home crowd. As the ball slipped through fingers, so did the match.
The batting brought little solace. With the required run-rate climbing steeply, CSK’s chase faltered early. The fight faded too soon, the batters seemingly surrendering before the battle had truly begun. Yet, the most shocking blow came not from the opposition but from the unexpected sight that left everyone bewildered — MS Dhoni, the man who had written so many heroic scripts, walking out to bat at number nine.
Also Read: Not the Thala we know – The MS Dhoni puzzle of batting at No. 9
Yash Dayal’s double strike in the 13th over left CSK reeling at 80/6. Despite the early collapse, there were still wickets in hand. In T20 cricket, teams have bounced back from similar situations to pull off incredible wins. With CSK’s very own Thala having a remarkable record against RCB, it felt like the perfect moment for Dhoni to step in and turn things around. But when Shivam Dube walked out to bat, the crowd at Chepauk and fans watching around the world, expected Dhoni to follow. Instead, Ravichandran Ashwin walked in at number eight.
CSK wasting Dhoni at No.9
CSK needed Dhoni to come in a little earlier and do the damage. Over the years, he has pulled off countless successful chases, especially against RCB. But this time, he came in too late. Seeing him bat at number nine was not just disheartening for the fans; it left even some former cricketers in shock.
For whatever reason, Dhoni not coming out to bat when he was the last recognised specialist batter has raised plenty of questions. The thought process behind sending him at number nine was not clear even after the match was over, with neither Stephen Fleming nor captain Ruturaj Gaikwad addressing it.
Two sixes and three fours from Dhoni’s bat may have pleased fans to some extent, but was that enough? And when he is looking in ominous touch with no injury concerns, what is the point of holding him back? It is like sending your best fighter after you have lost your entire army on the battlefield.
Everyone who admires Dhoni has to wait a whole year to see him bat in the Yellow Jersey, and if he continues to come in at number eight or nine, fans will not get to witness their beloved Thala doing what he is best known for. Last year, it was understandable, with him coming in late due to an injured knee. This year, nothing has been reported so far.
Going forward, all fans can hope for is to see him bat higher, like in the old days. At this moment, however, that seems like a distant dream.
Also Read: IPL 2025| Lucky To Have Dhoni: Noor Ahmad
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