Chennai Super Kings have established themselves as one of the most reliable teams in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL), consistently showcasing their ability to maximize the potential of players regardless of their career stage.
A shining illustration of this is Ajinkya Rahane, who, despite being acquired at his base price last December, has been delighting in his exceptional performance, accumulating runs at an impressive rate.
While the previous season witnessed CSK finishing second from the bottom in the points table, their fortunes have taken a turn in IPL 2023 as they secured a playoff spot by finishing second from the top.
CSK and their captain, MS Dhoni, possess a unique quality that sets them apart from other franchises. According to CSK all-rounder Moeen Ali, one of the key reasons for their remarkable success is the unwavering faith displayed by their captain and coaches in their players.
Moeen Ali highlighted the distinctive approach of MS Dhoni compared to other captains. He emphasized that in many instances, when players have a couple of poor performances, especially in the initial games, most teams would promptly drop the player or question their abilities.
However, MS Dhoni and the coaching staff of CSK perceive things differently. They possess the ability to recognize the potential in players and provide them with continuous opportunities. Unlike most teams, they choose to stick with the players for a longer duration, allowing them to grow and prove their worth. This faith and patience exhibited by Dhoni and the CSK management make them stand out from the rest.
“What separates MS Dhoni from everybody else as captain in many ways is that, say guys have a couple of bad games, especially in the first couple of games, and I think every other team would drop the player or say ‘look you are probably not good enough right now’,” Moeen said during an interview with CSK.
“And that’s where MS sees things and coaches see things in players. They see the potential and give them chances. Most teams don’t do that. Most teams don’t stick with the players long,” Ali rounded off.