IPL 2023: MS Dhoni masterminds Hardik Pandya's dismissal during GT vs CSK Qualifier 1

In the match between Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Tuesday, May 23, legendary skipper MS Dhoni made a brilliant tactical move to send Hardik Pandya back to the pavilion. Ahead of Maheesh Theekshana’s penultimate delivery in the sixth over, the 41-year-old changed the fieldset and brought Ravindra Jadeja in the backward point region and on the very next delivery, GT skipper got out while cutting the ball, as it went straight to the Jadeja. With that, Pandya got out scoring only seven runs off eight deliveries.

JioCinema@JioCinema

👀 Dhoni moved a fielder to the off-side a ball prior to Hardik getting dismissed! #GTvCSK #TATAIPL #Qualifier1 #IPLonJioCinema

10:40 PM · May 23, 2023

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Meanwhile, Dhoni’s masterstroke was heavily praised on social media while his video went viral on the same night. Subhranshu Senapati, who was introduced as one of the substitute fielders by CSK was spotted to be under some sort of pressure in the middle. Dhoni was spotted asking him to calm down as in the same over, the cricketer’s direct hit sent Darshan Nalkande packing. 

CSK defeated GT by 15 runs to qualify for their 10th final in IPL

Chennai Super Kings once again managed to qualify for yet another final in the Indian Premier League, by defeating defending champions Gujarat Titans by 15 runs. Batting first, the four-time winners posted 172 runs in 20 overs, as Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway gave the team a perfect start in Chepauk. Notably, Gaikwad smashed 60 runs off 44 deliveries while Conway hit 40 runs off 34 deliveries as their partnership of 87 eventually set the tone for CSK.

Later on, Ambati Rayudu (17 runs off nine deliveries) and Ravindra Jadeja (22 runs off 16 deliveries) chipped in well as CSK posted a defendable total on board. When it came to the chase, GT struggled right from the beginning as wickets kept falling from one end. Shubman Gill looked to be the lone warrior as the 23-year-old scored 42 runs off 38 deliveries before Deepak Chahar got the better of him. Rashid Khan (30 runs off 16 deliveries) tried his best towards the fag end but couldn’t help GT cross the line as CSK won the match quite comfortably.