The stories of the friendship and camaraderie between MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli are almost legendary in cricketing circles. Both of them shared a lot of time in the Indian cricket dressing room and the two stars of Indian cricket met once again during the Indian Premier League (IPL) match between Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore on Monday. While CSK emerged victorious by eight wickets, Kohli and Dhoni engaged in an animated chat at the end of the match and both of them ended up having a long conversation at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. In a video going viral, both of them can be seen sharing a laugh and talking about a variety of topics.
Chennai Super Kings got their act together in the nick of time to eke out an eight-run win over Royal Challengers Bangalore in an Indian Premier League match that produced 444 runs on Monday.
Devon Conway slammed 83 off 45 deliveries while Shivam Dube blazed away to a 27-ball 52 as CSK posted an imposing 226 for six after asked to bat first. In reply, RCB ended at 218 for eight. RCB skipper Faf du Plessis (62 off 33 balls) and Glenn Maxwell (76 off 36) gave a scare to CSK till they were at the crease, sharing 126 runs for the third wicket to raise hopes of a famous win.
RCB endured a horrible start as they lost Virat Kohli who played on to an Akash Singh delivery. There could have been more success for Akash had Maheesh Theekshana not dropped a skier from Mahipal Lomror at mid-off.
Lomror though didn't last long and departed after being caught by Ruturaj Gaikwad at cover point. Maxwell meant business as he smashed Akash for two sixes in the next over, even as Du Plessis hit Despande for two fours and a six.
Du Plessis displayed his array of strokes and Akash bore the brunt of his wrath in the next over, conceding two boundaries and a six.
Du Plessis and Maxwell were at their brutal best and didn't spare any CSK bowler, finding the fours and sixes at will.
While du Plessis raised his fifty off just 23 balls, Maxwell's half-century came up in 24 balls. The Australian then struck a huge six as RCB raced to 121 for two in 10 overs.
Theekshana had the last laugh as he foxed Maxwell who hit a skier in search of big shot and MS Dhoni did the rest to break the dangerous partnership. To make matters worse for RCB, du Plessis departed in the next over, handing Dhoni another skier off Moeen Ali.
Needing 58 off the last five overs, veteran Dinesh Karthik kept RCB in the hunt with some cheeky boundaries and was also handed a life by Ruturaj Gaikwad off Deshpande in the 17th over. But Karthik was then dismissed by Tushar Deshpande (3/45) to end RCB hopes.
(With PTI inputs)