Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have been performing exceptionally well in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Having won six out of 11 matches, the four-time champions are placed second on the points table. Recently, they secured a remarkable six-wicket victory over their arch-rivals Mumbai Indians (MI) in a chase of 140 runs at Chepauk. This win was significant as it was CSK’s first triumph against MI at Chepauk since 2011. One thing that caught everyone’s attention was the reference to Virat Kohli made by skipper MS Dhoni during his post-match speech.
After the match, a video clip of Dhoni addressing his team in the dressing room went viral on social media. In his speech, Dhoni mentioned Kohli’s name to motivate his players. “Virat doesn’t play the first ball like this. It is always here,” Dhoni said, talking about Kohli’s batting style.
Kohli and Dhoni share a close friendship, and the RCB star has often expressed his admiration for Dhoni. During the Asia Cup last year, Kohli revealed that Dhoni was the only person who had texted him when he stepped down as the Test captain in January of that year. Kohli had also spoken about what Dhoni had texted him during a lean patch.
“The only person who has genuinely reached out to me has been MS Dhoni. And for me, that is such a blessing to know that I could have such a strong bond and such a strong relationship with someone who is such a senior to me where things are, it is a friendship that is based on a lot of mutual respect,” Kohli had said on RCB Podcast.
Kohli further elaborated that Dhoni had messaged him, saying, “I know what you are going through, but you need to stay strong and you need to believe in yourself.” Kohli also mentioned that he draws inspiration from Dhoni’s calm and composed nature.
CSK’s recent win against MI was significant, as it not only boosted the team’s morale but also rekindled the spirits of the fans. With this win, CSK has once again established itself as one of the strong contenders for the IPL 2023 title.
