IPL 2020: Did MS Dhoni take a sly dig at Suresh Raina in the post-match presentation?

The moment Suresh Raina decided to pull out of the IPL 2020, all of CSK’s plans would have gone up for a toss. For the past 10 seasons, the left-hander has been an integral part of the side and one of the most consistent performers at number three. However, his decision to return back to India over concerns about the bio-bubble took everyone by a shocker.

Yet, the Chennai Super Kings’ management handled the crisis situation well enough. They didn’t hit the panic button, assessed their resources, and planned accordingly. As a result, they managed to get over the line in the first game against the Mumbai Indians by a 5-wicket margin. Moreover, this is the first win since 2018 for Chennai against Mumbai. The ‘Yellow Army’ lost all the previous five games against this opposition. After the conclusion of this game, MS Dhoni seemed quite jovial in the post-match presentation.

‘As cricketers, we easily criticize stuff’ – MS Dhoni

However, when MS Dhoni was asked about the arrangements, an unexpected response popped up. The skipper seemed to have taken a dig at the likes of Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh. The wicketkeeper lauded the personnel behind the scenes for their efforts. He told that to make such a big tournament happen, there are several things that factor in. But, he also mentioned that it is easy to criticize as cricketers which could be an indirect dig at his teammates.

“It is an amazing job done by the IPL, especially ones behind the scenes. To make it happen there are a hundred different things; as cricketers we easily criticize stuff,” MS Dhoni said.

Also, he was all praise about the practice facilities. He noted that unless the facilities such as the ones arranged are available, it is tough to play well in a tournament like this. “To have the practice facilities like these at the ICC academy were fantastic. Unless you get practice facilities you won’t play well in a tournament like this,” the 39-year-old added.

Coming to the game, MS Dhoni was proactive as a captain behind the stumps. He devised great plans and kept rotating the bowlers. Ambati Rayudu and Faf du Plessis rose up to the occasion in the chase.