IPL 2018: Match 20, Player Battles – MS Dhoni vs Bhuvneshwar Kumar

The Chennai Super Kings led by MS Dhoni have improved their batting with every match as all their batsmen contributing towards the team’s total. Starting from their new opening pair Shane Watson and Ambati Rayudu to new finishers Dwayne Bravo and Ravindra Jadeja have helped them to post and chase totals of 200s. Now CSK will take on SRH in Hyderabad who might not allow them to post a big total. Sunrisers Hyderabad didn’t concede 150+ in their first three games before going down to Chris Gayle.

Super Kings have to make most of the middle overs with SRH containing runs in the powerplay overs and also at the death overs. Their premier bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowls two economical overs upfront and makes scoring tough for the batsmen with two overs at the death. CSK did struggle to finish well in the previous match as they reached the 150-run mark by the 13 overs but could only add 53 more runs in the next seven overs.

Their skipper MS Dhoni is the perfect guy to counter Bhuvneshwar as he has a rich history against the SRH’s vice-captain in the past. Dhoni never got out to Bhuvi in the 41 balls he faced from him in the IPL and scored 81 runs with five fours and five sixes. While playing for the Rising Pune Supergiant in the previous season, Dhoni’s face off with Bhuvi decided the result on both occasions. During the last ball finish in Pune, Dhoni took his team to a victory with an unbeaten 61 off 34 balls. He scored 21 in eight balls off Bhuvneshwar with two fours and one six.

MS Dhoni vs Bhuvneshwar Kumar:

In the game played in Hyderabad, Dhoni’s cameo towards the end which gave a total to defend for RPS. He scored 31 off 21 balls in the game with 22 off nine balls came against Bhuvneshwar only. He hit two sixes and a four against the SRH pacer before getting out in the final over. Bhuvneshwar will be eager to change the numbers against his first Indian captain and help his team to make it three wins in three games at home this season.

(Stats as on April 21, 2018)