Chennai Super Kings defeated Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 on Wednesday at their fortress Chepauk and entered into the final of the tournament. However, the summit clash will be a Deja Vu for the four-time champions and they will be up against GT, who also paved their way into the final after thrashing Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2. It was a visual treat for the crowd at the MA Chidambaram Stadium to witness MS Dhoni, who is in the final phase of his career. The craze of the fans for Dhoni is not new as every stadium goes berserk on seeing the CSK skipper coming on to bat.
Speaking about Dhoni's fandom, CSK pacer Deepak Chahar shared a heartwarming incident from the Qualifier 1 match, where the crowd at Chepauk showered their love for the former India skipper.
"We get less time to warm up when we bowl in the second innings. In the previous match, Jaddu was batting. I padded up and came out to warm up for bowling. The crowd started hooting. I was like, 'I am not going first. Are you mad?' They though that only one or two balls are left so Dhoni is not going to bat. I said don't worry," Chahar told Gaurav Kapoor on his YouTube show, Breakfast with Champions.
Currently, Dhoni is having the strike rate of 185.71, which is the second best in the season. He has scored 104 runs in 15 matches.
Chenai defeated Gujarat by 15 runs in the Qualifier 1. Both the teams will be facing each other again in final of the tournament on Sunday at he Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Dhoni wouldn't mind a 'Farewell to Remember' but a young Shubman Gill, oozing grace, would do everything under his control to prevent Chennai Super Kings from beating Gujarat Titans to its fifth IPL title, in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
On Sunday, at the 132,000 seater Narendra Modi Stadium, the soon-to-be 42 Dhoni will have one last assignment in his favourite Canary Yellow jersey -- to stop Indian cricket's megastar-in-waiting and do a 'High Five'.
(With PTI Inputs)