Dhoni Should 'Go to School' on RCB Bowlers: Matthew Hayden on RCB vs CSK Showdown

As CSK faces RCB in their last group stage IPL match, all eyes are on Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who might be playing his final IPL game at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Chennai Super Kings' MS Dhoni plays a shot during an Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 T20 cricket match between Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings, at the Narendra Modi Stadium, in Ahmedabad, Friday, May 10, 2024.

Though Dhoni has not officially announced his retirement, there is speculation that this could be his last match if RCB defeats CSK and knocks the Chennai franchise out of the tournament. CSK's chances of advancing to the playoffs remain high, but a loss to RCB could complicate their path. On the other hand, RCB needs a decisive victory to secure a playoff spot, adding to the tension of this crucial match.

Former CSK player Matthew Hayden expressed his hopes for the game, focusing on Dhoni's performance. "I want to see MS Dhoni. He may get 15 runs, but I want to see 18 runs off the last two overs. Just play one or two balls and then go to school on those RCB bowlers. I'm talking nothing less than maximums for MS Dhoni at the end," Hayden said on Star Sports Cricket Live, highlighting Dhoni's impressive finishing abilities this IPL season.

Sunil Gavaskar also weighed in on RCB's mindset going into this decisive game. "I think a great finish would be to win by a huge margin. So there's actually no tension about the calculations. Just win comfortably, which is a confidence boost for the playoffs," Gavaskar said. He emphasized that narrowly scraping through can lead to a sense of relief that might undermine the team's commitment in subsequent matches.

As the teams prepare for this high-stakes clash, fans eagerly await to see if Dhoni can deliver another memorable performance and if RCB can secure their place in the playoffs.