'That was the first time I saw MS Dhoni show frustration': Shane Watson recalls CSK captain's reaction during IPL 2019
IPL 2021: Former Chennai Super Kings all-rounder Shane Watson recalled an instance when he saw a rare side of captain MS Dhoni.
As we gear up for the 'El Classico' of the IPL with defending champions Mumbai Indians taking on three-time champions Chennai Super Kings, so many memories come to mind. MI and CSK have set the bar for IPL rivalries since it pits two of the most successful captains in Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni.
MI and CSK have faced each other in an IPL final four times, with the Men in Blue winning three of those. CSK beat MI in the final of 2010 to lift their maiden IPL trophy, but Rohit Sharma's team regrouped to win five titles over the last eight years, beating CSK in the finals in 2013, 2015 and 2019.
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The last time MI and CSK faced each other was in the final two years ago in 2019, in which MI edged CSK by one run in a last-ball thriller. Former CSK all-rounder Shane Watson had played a heroic knock of 80 as he batted with a bloodied knee sustained in the initial part of his innings. Watson, who announced retirement from all forms of cricket last year, revealed how after the match, it was the first time he saw captain Dhoni express a bit of frustration.
"To be able to play any IPL final is huge, but playing against Mumbai Indians that year was big in IPL 2019. They had beaten us comprehensively in both games and in the build-up to the final, we knew we had to play out skins really," Watson said during the pre-match show on Star Sports before the start of the MI-CSK clash in Delhi on Saturday.
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"How the finals played out? We were able to get on top of them. That ball, oh Jesus… that was the first time I saw MS Dhoni show frustration in the change room, albeit it was only a tiny bit around that time. Could pick a favourite but wouldn't want to be on either side of it."
MI had posted 149/8 batting first but responded well with the ball restricting CSK to 82/4 after a decent start. It all boiled down to the last over, in which CSK needed just nine to win. But bowling at the other end was Lasith Malinga. Malinga gave away six off it, including dismissing Shardul Thakur out LBW off the last ball to get MI over the line by the finest of margins.