MS Dhoni walks in and the pressure gets to the bowlers: KL Rahul hails batting legend for brilliant cameo in LSG vs CSK IPL 2024 match

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain KL Rahul admitted that his young bowling side were intimidated by MS Dhoni's presence at the batting crease during their IPL 2024 match against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Friday, April 19.

LSG thumped CSK by eight wickets in match number 34 of IPL 2024 at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. Batting first, Chennai Super Kings were in big trouble, having lost half their side for 90. All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja (57* off 40) lifted the batting side before Dhoni came in and clobbered 28* off nine.

While Lucknow Super Giants registered a comprehensive win, getting home with one over to spare, Rahul conceded that his young bowlers felt the pressure when Dhoni walked out to bat towards the end of the 18th over. At the post-match presentation, the LSG skipper said:

"I would have been happy with 160 (target). Behind the stumps, (I) felt like the wicket was a bit slow. There was a bit of grip, not too much. It wasn't a square turner, but there was a bit of help for spinners and 160-165 would have been ideal. But again, it's MSD. He walks in and the pressure gets to the bowlers. That's the presence and intimidation he's had over teams and oppositions and bowlers.

"We have a young team and this is the first time they were put under pressure by a huge figure like MS and the crowd was really really loud. But, I still thought they stuck to their plans. He's a phenomenal player to still hit them for sixes. Yeah, 15-20 runs extra, but we knew that if we bat well we can chase it down," Rahul went on to add.

Dhoni muscled three fours and two sixes in his short stay to lift CSK past the 175-run mark. However, Rahul (82 off 53) led from the front in the chase, adding 134 for the opening wicket with Quinton de Kock (54 off 43).

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MS Dhoni turning back the clock in IPL 2024

When Dhoni underwent knee surgery after guiding CSK to their fifth IPL trophy in 2023, there were question marks over whether he would return to the T20 league this season.

While he has played in all of CSK's seven matches so far, what has been incredible has been the manner in which he has been striking the ball despite having retired from international cricket in 2020.

In five innings, the 42-year-old has struck 87 runs at a strike rate of 255.88. Before his heroics against LSG, the former CSK skipper contributed 37* off 16 against Delhi Capitals and 20* off 4 versus Mumbai Indians.