Chennai Super Kings skipper M S Dhoni attributed tonight's defeat against Deccan Chargers in the Indian Premier League match to the jolts they suffered in the start of the innings.
Chennai Super Kings skipper M S Dhoni attributed tonight's defeat against Deccan Chargers in the Indian Premier League match to the jolts they suffered in the start of the innings.
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Sri Lankan paceman Chaminda Vaas unsettled Chennai innings by taking three quick wickets.
Chennai were chasing a total of 191 but all they could manage was 159 for nine.
"When you chase 190, you want a good start but we lost early wickets. And if you lose early wickets, it becomes difficult for other batsmen to chase.
"It all depended on the start, that we are capable of getting. Matthew Hayden and Suresh Raina being the big hitters in top of order followed by Justin Kemp and Albie Morkel. We could have got those runs," Dhoni said after the match.
Dhoni was not happy with fast bowlers, who were hit round the park in the clash.
"In the practice sessions during the last ten days, all the bowlers did well and were accurate. This game, may be the pressure got in to them. Hopefully, they will convert what they are doing in the practice games in the reminder of the matches," he said.
He though was satisfied with the show of his spinners and lavished praise on rival batsmen Andrew Symonds and Herschelle Gibbs, who lifted Deccan out of pits with their 95-run stand.
"Spinners did well better than the fast bowlers. Two of best batsmen in Symonds and Gibbs played well and they put pressure on the bowlers.
May be I could have used Suresh Raina in the 10th over or so. But it becomes very difficult when you have two off spinners in the eleven. Chepauk is not a very big ground," Dhoni said.
The skipper also supported youngsters Murali Vijay and R Aswin, who he says have a lot of talent.
"Vijay has played just one game and it is not right to decide on today's performance. He is a good batsmen and he has done well in one-day internationals. "Ashwin has done really well on whatever the opportunities he has got.
Last year also he had played a few games and whatever the games he had played he had done well."
Man-of the-match Vaas praised the batsmen of his side for putting up a good total on the board. "First game was a bit of a bad luck. We did well today. We need to win every game and do like what we did last time and win the Cup. Today, we batted really well upfront.
"Symonds and Gibbs batted well to get 190. We were patient and batted right through out. CSK bowlers did not do any mistakes but we batted really well," he said.
The veteran paceman is also keen to be part of Sri Lanka's One-day team in the World Cup, to be held in the sub-continent next year.
"I have retired only from test cricket but I am still there for limited overs games and 20-20. I am playing competitive cricket back home. Hoping to be play the next World Cup too," he said.