Bengaluru, 4 May (H.S.): Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni accepted responsibility after a narrow two-run loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in an IPL 2025 match at M Chinnaswamy Stadium. CSK, chasing 214, faltered at 172/2 despite strong performances from Ayush Mhatre (94) and Ravindra Jadeja (77*).

Dhoni scored 12 runs off 8 balls but lost his wicket at a crucial moment, leaving CSK short. He reflected, I felt I should have converted a couple more shots, acknowledging his role in the defeat.

RCB’s Romario Shephard excelled in the death overs, scoring 53 off 14 balls. Dhoni emphasized the need for his bowlers to practice yorkers to contain batsmen, stating, A low full toss is the next best thing, highlighting areas for improvement.

MS Dhoni commended Ayush Mhatre for his impressive performance, despite missing a century, emphasizing the team’s strong batting display. He acknowledged the bowling struggles but was confident they could recover.

Following this victory, RCB ascended to the table’s summit, while CSK languished at the bottom with only 4 points from 11 matches. In a light-hearted exchange with Ravi Shastri regarding CSK’s strategies against RCB’s aggressive batting, Dhoni cheekily remarked, Let it be plans, Ravi bhai! This match may mark a poignant moment for Dhoni and Virat Kohli, potentially being their last IPL face-off as Dhoni, nearing 44, prepares for the future of CSK. RCB seeks a playoff spot, while CSK aims to salvage pride in a contest that holds significant stakes for both teams.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar