Previous Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan felt that Gautam Gambhir was the main player to play with MS Dhoni’s inner self when he drove the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
Dhoni continues to lead the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), whereas Gambhir serves as the Lucknow Super Giants’ global coach. Gambhir has a reputation for criticizing MSD over the years, particularly in relation to the six players who won the World Cup final in 2011.
Pathan said the following during the Hindi commentary for the CSK-LSG match: “During their playing days in CSK-KKR matches, Gautam Gambhir got into Dhoni’s head.
“Gautam Gambhir played with MS Dhoni’s ego for years, causing him to be agitated. Dhoni was left shaken to the core as a result of Gambhir’s plan to set up the field like a Test match and bring in close-in fielders.
Gambhir was known for bringing in close-in fielders as soon as Dhoni entered the lineup. Additionally, he would make use of his spinners Piyush Chawla, Shakib Al Hasan, and Sunil Narine, particularly in the latter stages of Dhoni’s career, from around 2015 to 2017. During that time, Dhoni was run out against KKR for a number of low runs, averaging just 15.8 at a strike rate of 98.4 over six innings.
MS Dhoni has led CSK to four titles and Gautam Gambhir has led KKR to two, making them two of the most successful captains in IPL history. They likewise featured in India’s 2007 and 2011 World Cup wins.
Irfan Pathan was also an important member of the 2007 T20 World Cup team, winning the Man-of-the-Match award for his performance against Pakistan in the championship match.
When asked if this will be MSD’s final IPL season, Virender Sehwag stated, “Whether it’s his last year or not, only MS Dhoni knows”:
Virender Sehwag, a former Indian opener, is offended by rumors that the ongoing Indian Premier League will be MS Dhoni’s final tournament. The pair played together for India and were fundamental to the group’s prosperity at the 2007 and 2011 World Cups.
Sehwag stated to Cricbuzz that the retirement decisions of each player should be left up to them and should not be speculated upon. He said:
“I simply don’t have any idea; for what reason do they try and inquire? Why do you have to ask the player, even if this is his last year? He has the call; Give that to him! Perhaps all he wanted to do was persuade Dhoni to confirm that this was indeed his final season. Only MS Dhoni is aware of whether or not this is his final year.
Sehwag offered his viewpoint after Danny Morrison expected the continuous season to be a goodbye for MSD during the throw of the CSK-LSG conflict. The CSK captain explained that it was a supposition by Morrison and not something he has freely reported.
Rain forced CSK and LSG to abandon their match, leaving both teams with 11 points, five wins, and four losses.