Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni’s drive and desire to play for the team at the age of 36 has rubbed off on all the squad members, according to opener Shane Watson.
CSK regained their place at the top of the Indian Premier League table after a 13-run win over Delhi Daredevils in Pune on Monday. The win was powered by half-centuries from both Watson and Dhoni, who has been in scintillating form this season.
Dhoni, who was dropped on 31, brought up his half-century off just 22 balls, and finished unbeaten on 51. His strike rate in the last five overs of the innings this season has been 228.37, according to the IPL website. His 3,556 IPL career runs are also the most scored by any captain in the league.
Watson, who has been in great form himself, said that Dhoni was inspiring everyone in the team with his calmness under pressure and desire to win.
“We don’t really see MS too much around breakfast and lunch – he loves his sleep,” Watson said, jokingly. “[But] to see how much it means to him, to be able to play for CSK, that’s rubbed off on everyone.
“To see him bat as well as he is...It’s as good as I’ve ever seen him hit the ball on all types of wickets, all types of bowlers, he’s just so cool under pressure. When the run-rate is getting up he just knows which kind of bowlers he’s lining up. It’s amazing how he stays so calm.”
Watson, who is also 36 years old like Dhoni, added that he takes a lot of inspiration from his IPL captain. “The desire, how much it means to MS, it’s rubbed off on me for sure,” he said. “Looking at MS doing it at his age, which is in and around my age, spurs me on as well. There’s no reason why your best cricket can’t be around at this stage of our careers. To watch MS from close quarters is very special.”
CSK had their best start of the season on Monday when Watson and Faf du Plessis put on 102 runs for the first wicket in 10.5 overs. The Australian was the dominant partner in the stand, contributing 66 runs off 33 balls. Watson was in his elements, hitting as many as seven sixes and four boundaries in his 40-ball 78.
Watson came into the match in the midst of a brief lull after hitting a century against Rajasthan Royals earlier in the season. His scores in the last three matches read 23, 7, and 12, so he was glad to get among the runs on Monday. “It’ll be nice to be a little more consistent – missing out three games – but to be able to play the kind of innings tonight, to get our team to a good total, is something I’ve been looking forward to playing in the IPL after the previous couple of years, especially with the bat,” he said.
Watson had endured a horrid 2017 season playing for the Royal Challengers Bangalore, where he stood in for injured captain Virat Kohli initially but poor form saw him being dropped after eight matches. In 2016, he had failed with the bat, but contributed 20 wickets with the ball as RCB reached the final. “It didn’t go that well at RCB so it’s nice to be able to play the innings I know that I can,” Watson added.
Apart from Dhoni, Watson also praised CSK head coach Stephen Fleming and the team management for picking a good squad in the auction. “It all comes from the leadership – from Stephen Fleming, who is as good a coach as there has ever been and complemented by MS Dhoni, who is obviously strategically incredibly good,” Watson said. “Also what [the team management was] able to pick up in the auction as well – high-quality players with a serious desire to do well for CSK.”