"MS Dhoni didn't do anything at the start" - Aakash Chopra on CSK's IPL 2025 win vs KKR

Former India player Aakash Chopra has lauded MS Dhoni for playing a perfectly paced innings in the Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) IPL 2025 win against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). He noted that the CSK skipper started sedately but ensured his team got over the line once the more aggressive Shivam Dube was dismissed.

KKR set CSK a 180-run target in Match 57 of IPL 2025 in Kolkata on Wednesday, May 7. Dhoni scored an unbeaten 17 off 18 deliveries in the chase as the visitors registered a two-wicket win with two balls to spare.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener opined that Shivam Dube has performed decently in IPL 2025, considering his batting position. He pointed out that the left-handed batter was the aggressor in his partnership with Dhoni in Wednesday's game before the latter took CSK to a win with an immaculately calculated knock.

"Shivam Dube scored crucial runs. This season hasn't been as bad as it looks. He bats at No. 7. They send him when the entire batting is over. So he is left alone if someone gets out from the other end. However, he was there and Mahi (Dhoni) was there with him," Chopra said (18:20).

"MS Dhoni didn't do anything at the start. He was taking singles, doing Test-match batting, and Shivam Dube was playing a few big shots. However, as soon as Shivam Dube got out, Mahi said he would take the game till the end because Vaibhav (Arora) would bowl the 19th over and (Andre) Russell would bowl the 20th over, and he would manage them," he added.

The cricketer-turned-commentator highlighted that Dhoni struck a much-needed six before Anshul Kamboj clinched the win with a four.

"So he played the hide-and-seek game for a long time. One yorker was missed and the guy hit a six. Then only one run was required to tie the match. He took a single and Anshul Kamboj finished the match with a four. Interestingly, Chennai have won three matches in total this season and Mahi had a hand in two, the chase against LSG and Kolkata," Chopra observed.

Shivam Dube scored 45 runs off 40 deliveries with the help of two fours and three sixes. CSK needed 10 runs off eight deliveries when the big-hitter was dismissed, with MS Dhoni's six off the first ball of the 20th over bowled by Andre Russell virtually securing the win.

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"He is a wicketkeeper-batter" - Aakash Chopra urges CSK to retain Urvil Patel after IPL 2025

Urvil Patel played an explosive knock in CSK's IPL 2025 clash against KKR. [P/C: Getty]

Reflecting on the start of CSK's chase, Aakash Chopra noted that they lost both their openers for ducks, with their new signing Urvil Patel, a wicketkeeper-batter, getting an opportunity at No. 3.

"Ayush Mhatre and Devon Conway got out for zeroes, and in came Urvil Patel. He has scored the fastest century in SMAT (Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy) and has scored the second-fastest century in List A cricket. He is a wicketkeeper-batter, and he too has been called," he said in the same video.

While observing that Urvil Patel and Dewald Brevis played crucial knocks, the analyst urged the five-time champions to retain Patel and Ayush Mhatre ahead of the next auction.

"They might even release Shaik Rasheed, but keep Mhatre and Urvil Patel. Wicketkeeping-batting option, don't know how long MS Dhoni will play. He played a very good knock. Dewald Brevis - another wildcard entry. He scored a fifty. He hit Vaibhav Arora for 30 runs in an over," Chopra stated.

Urvil Patel smashed 31 runs off 11 deliveries with the help of a solitary four and four sixes. Dewald Brevis scored 52 runs off 25 balls, a knock studded with four fours and as many sixes.