Sam Curran says skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni is a “genius” to have sent him to play in that point of the game.
Dhoni sent Curran ahead of himself, and it worked like magic with Curran coming in and scoring the crucial 18 runs off just 6 balls to help CSK reach a comfortable position.
The first game of Indian Premier League 2020 saw two former champions taking on each other in UAE.
What Went Down For Curran In The First Game Of IPL 2020?
To start off, CSK won the toss and decided to bowl first against MI.
MI went on to put 162 runs score in the board with Saurabh Tiwary scoring 42 off 31 balls. After losing Tiwari’s wicket, MI lost their hand in the game.
CSK played a great game, but despite that, it went down to the final over. Ambati Rayudu and Faf du Plessis dominated the game and helped give their side the winning start it needed.
Rayudu scored 71 runs off 48 balls, and du Plessis stayed unbeaten on 58 balls off 44 balls.
At the end, CSK needed 27 runs off 17 balls when Ravindra Jadeja fell to Krunal Pandya.
Then, it looked like MS Dhoni, or Kedar Jadhav will take over the game to ease CSK’s nerves.
But Dhoni sent Curran instead, and the 22-year-old went on to hit two sixes and a four in his six-ball cameo.
Curran said, “To be honest, very surprised I went in, but he’s a genius, he obviously thought something”. “A great win in the end.”
The left-handed batsman reckons his promotion was partly because Dhoni wanted a left-right combination.
He also said his aggression against left-arm spinner Krunal Pandya was premeditated. “That was the over we wanted to target – a six or out approach mentality. Take the risk, and if it comes off, it comes off, if it doesn’t, it doesn’t.”
Later, he lost his wicket to Jasprit Bumrah in the second last over, but he did what he was meant to.
Now, the match had 10 balls left, and CSK needed 10 runs to win.
Then, Dhoni and du Pessis easily took their side home with four balls and 5 wickets to spare.
