IPL 2019: Mahendra Singh Dhoni fights but Chennai Super Kings fail

CSK's MS Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu during their 66-run fifth-wicket partnership

Rarely will you see the dismissal of a batsman being greeted by so much enthusiasm. The Chennai crowd knew very well that the next player in after M Vijay was dismissed would be 'Thala' Mahendra Singh Dhoni. And as the Jharkhand man has walked into the centre in similar circumstances several times before, the crowd could not have been faulted for expecting another miracle from their skipper, who walked out to bat with the score reading 65-4 after 12.1 overs.

However, the sluggish pitch and the plethora of spinners in the Mumbai Indians's ranks, for once, did not allow Dhoni, who stitched 66 runs for the fifth wicket with Ambati Rayudu, a free run.

Dhoni has been brilliant in exploiting the final 2-3 overs of most matches, unfurling those big hits at will. However, this time the presence of MI pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Lasith Malinga did not allow him the freedom to flex his muscles, as often as he could have liked to. Dhoni remained unbeaten on 37 off 29 balls (3x6) as he took his team to a 131-4 after 20 overs. However, it wasn't enough.

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates