Chennai Super Kings became the second team after Gujarat Titans to seal their IPL 2023 playoffs spot.
New Delhi: Death bowling requires a lot of confidence and Mahendra Singh Dhoni is highly impressed by the way Tushar Deshpande has developed himself. Dhoni’s comments come in after Chennai Super Kings defeated Delhi Capitals to cement their place in IPL 2023 playoffs.
CSK ended their 14-match league campaign with 17 points and that is good enough to seal a last-four berth. Batting first, opener Devon Conway’s 87 off only 51 balls and Ruturaj Gaikwad’s smashing 79 off 50 deliveries ensured a healthy 223/3 for CSK.
Conway’s innings comprised 11 fours and three sixes while Gaikwad hit seven sixes apart from three boundaries as they added 141 for the opening stand. In reply, Delhi Capitals managed only 146/9 with skipper David Warner’s 86 off 58 balls being the only saving grace.
Deepak Chahar ended with 3/22 from 4 overs while Maheesh Theekshana and Matheesha Pathirana got two wickets apiece. Deshpande also finished with 1/26 in his four overs. “I think death bowling, confidence is very important,” Dhoni continued after the game on Saturday.
After Mukesh Choudhary was ruled out and Deepak Chahar missing the initial few games due to injury, Deshpande took over the responsibility on his shoulders and impressed everyone. He is also CSK’s top wicket-taker in the ongoing season with 20 wickets from 14 games.
“Tushar has developed because he is able to execute under pressure, he has the confidence now. And when you keep playing the same players, it helps. I think the bowlers have also taken the responsibility, Pathirana is quite a natural to bowling at the death but Deshpande has really developed there,” added the CSK captain.
The two-time World Cup-winning former India captain also emphasized the need of grooming young players for future. “There is no recipe for success, you try and pick the best players and give them the best slot to perform.
“And groom them in the areas where they are not strong, somebody has to sacrifice their slot for the team. Credit to the management as well, they always back us. But, the players are most important, without the players we can’t do anything,” added Dhoni.
“It is difficult to judge from the outside, we tryand adjust to the players and environment as well. Even if they come 10 per cent, we can adjust 50 per cent, to fit them better into the team,” he said.
Delhi Capitals ended the campaign with 10 points and will have to wait till Sunday to find out if they ended last or second last depending on Sunrisers Hyderabad’s result.
