IPL 2021: "MS Dhoni was spot on in his 200th match as CSK captain, deserved to win" - Sunil Gavaskar

Former cricketer Sunil Gavaskar heaped massive praise on MS Dhoni after Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) resounding win against the Rajasthan Royals on Monday. The game marked the wicketkeeper-batsman's 200th IPL match as CSK captain.

Get the full list of all IPL captains 2021 here.

Sunil Gavaskar said that MS Dhoni was brilliant with his captaincy in this match and credited the 39-year-old with making the best use of his resources.

"Dhoni deserved to win. In his 200th match as captain of CSK, he was spot on with almost everything. The bowling changes, the field placements. Look at the way he placed Jadeja, he took 4 catches and apart from them, he saved so many boundaries. That’s important, you have to have the right fielder at the right position," said Sunil Gavaskar.

8 uh 8 ah field neeyum pirichuko! 2 for wickets, 4 for catches & 2 for 🤙🏼🕺! Jaddu Very Goodu! #WhistlePodu #Yellove 🦁💛pic.twitter.com/iivdzdhv8X

— Chennai Super Kings - Mask P😷du Whistle P🥳du! (@ChennaiIPL) April 20, 2021

The 1983 World Cup winner also observed that MS Dhoni pressed both his spinners into action as soon as the ball was changed and Jos Buttler had hit a six in Ravindra Jadeja's previous over. Gavaskar enjoyed this masterstroke.

"The moment the ball was changed after Buttler hit that six and the dry ball came in, he said immediately to Jadeja in Hindi that this ball will turn. It turned and he got Buttler out. And then he gave the ball to Moeen Ali. The ball turned and he got those wickets. Brilliant, brilliant captaincy from MS Dhoni," Sunil Gavaskar told Star Sports.

Records galore for MS Dhoni in the game against Rajasthan Royals

In the game against the Rajasthan Royals, MS Dhoni became the first player to lead a T20 franchise in 200 matches. The cricketer has represented the Chennai Super Kings in 201 games thus far.

He also holds the record for captaining a team the highest number of times in T20 cricket. He has led India, the Chennai Super Kings, the Rising Pune Supergiant and Indians in a total of 286 T20 games.

"Makes me feel very old and it has been a very long journey [on playing 200 matches for CSK]. It started in 2008 - played in South Africa, Dubai, and back home. Never thought Mumbai would be our home," he said after the last game.

The Chennai Super Kings are currently second in the IPL 2021 points table with two wins in three games.

All hands for some skyers! 🏏#CSKvRR #WhistlePodu #Yellove @msdhoni pic.twitter.com/zOIjbl6dqE

— Chennai Super Kings - Mask P😷du Whistle P🥳du! (@ChennaiIPL) April 19, 2021