Credit: BCCI/IPL
Chennai Super Kings skipper MS Dhoni took the blames on himself after his team’s two-run defeat against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in match number 52 of IPL 2025 at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday, May 3. CSK gave a tough fight to RCB while chasing a mammoth target of 214 runs but fell short of just two runs in the end. Batting first, RCB had a great start as Virat Kohli and Jacob Bethell put up an opening partnership of 97 runs inside 10 overs.
After that, CSK bowlers made a comeback in the middle-overs but Romario Shephard completely turned the match around in the last two overs with his fiery 14-ball fifty. In reply, Ayush Mhatre and Ravindra Jadeja played great knocks as CSK were looking set to chase the target. However, RCB’s brilliant bowling in the death overs took the match away from RCB. After the game, MS Dhoni, who scored 12(8) runs said that he should have hit couple of more shots for the boundary.
“When I went into bat, with the kind of deliveries and the runs needed, I felt I should've converted a couple more shots to ease the pressure. I take the blame,” Dhoni said at the post-match presentation as quoted in Cricbuzz.
We need to practice more yorkers: MS Dhoni
Speaking further, MS Dhoni heaped praise on player of the match Romario Shephard for his fiery batting in the last two two overs. RCB were at 159/5 after 18 overs and were looking set to get a total around 180 runs. However, The Caribbean power-hitter smashed 53* runs off just 14 balls as RCB finished on a mammoth 213/5 on board. After the match, Dhoni said that CSK bowlers need to practice to bowl more yorker deliveries.
“They (RCB) got off to a good start, in between we pulled it back, but Romario Shepherd was brilliant. Whatever the bowlers bowled, he was able to get maximum runs. We need to practice more yorkers. More often than not, when the batters start to connect, you have to rely on yorkers. Also the margin of error (yorkers provide) - so if you're looking for a perfect yorker, if that doesn't happen, a low full toss is the next best thing,” Dhoni said.
