Chennai: The sheer presence of MS Dhoni on the pitch creates a lot of pressure for opposition teams and it is always difficult to fill the veteran stumper’s boots whenever he is not around, said Chennai Super Kings’ batsman Suresh Raina.
Dhoni missed two games for CSK this season — against Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad — due to fever and stiff back, and on both occasion they ended on the losing side.
Besides, Dhoni has been in superb form with the bat this year and hit a 22-ball unbeaten 44 against Delhi Capitals to ensure a comfortable 80-run win for CSK.
Asked Raina how challenging it was to lead CSK in Dhoni’s absence, he replied: “I think losing him (Dhoni) as a captain is not an issue, losing him as a batsman is always difficult for us. That’s what happened for us against Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians.
“When he comes to the crease a lot of pressure is created for other teams. When he is not in the team, we see the difference,” said Raina.
Raina also hinted that he might take up CSK captaincy as and when Dhoni decides to call it quits.
“He has done well in the last couple of years as a batsmen as well team mentor. So probably you may see me more next year when he is done but I need more of his calibre. But he will continue as long as he wants to play for Chennai, you know him and Chennai,” he said.
The left-hander also praised Dhoni’s glovework in the light of two brilliant stumpings he had effected Wednesday night.
“He (Dhoni) had two brilliant stumpings. One is Shreyas (Iyer) and the other is (Chris) Morris. It shows how compact he is,’ said Raina.”In the last couple of years when he was playing for India also, he has done amazing stumpings that shows how involved he is in the game.”
PTI