Dhoni too slow as Delhi Capitals hand Chennai third loss in a row

Rahul's impressive 77 sets up Delhi's 183 to which the five-time IPL champions had no answers in the day game at Chepauk

- Rasesh Mandani

It must have been discomforting for the Chennai Super Kings loyalists to watch MS Dhoni's 30* (26b) and Vijay Shankar's 69* (54b) slow unbeaten sixth-wicket partnership, which appeared almost perfunctory towards the end, against Delhi Capitals at Chennai's MA Chidambaram Stadium on Saturday.

Capitals notched up 183 after electing to bat and then left CSK 25 runs short at their home base in the day game, restricted to 158/5.

When CSK's superhero arrived at the crease in the 11th over, the hosts needed 110 runs from 56 balls. Shankar was on 24, scoring at run-a-ball with half the side back in the pavilion.

It was a challenging ask on a slow surface, but no one in the stadium was willing to rule out Dhoni pulling off a heroic show from his old playbook, although it has not happened this season. It is for him that they reserve the loudest whistles, the deafening cheers. That's how the legion of yellow welcomed Dhoni to the crease, yet again. It has been a recurring theme for the past three years with the knowledge that his IPL retirement may be near.

Dhoni, 43, has continued to defy age to match expectations for the past two years. On the evidence of his performances in the first four matches in IPL 2025, though it feels his limitless ambition is struggling to cope with the T20 hustle.