IPL 2021: CSK skipper MS Dhoni unhappy with match timings, makes this BIG claim

As the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 is three matches old, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper MS Dhoni has hinted at being displeased with the 7.30 PM starts of the games in India. 

The former India captain Dhoni reasons that when a game starts at 8 PM, the dew has already set in, thus not giving the chasing side any real advantage. 

However, with the game starting at 7.30 PM, Dhoni said one side gets a good 30 to 40 minutes of absolutely dry conditions, which can make all the difference.

Speaking to Star Sports after his side failed to defend 188 against Delhi Capitals (DC), Dhoni said that the pitch was tacky to start off with, making batting really difficult. However, once the dew set in, the Wankhede Stadium track became the batting beauty it is known to be.

"You have to look ahead," Dhoni said when asked if he was happy with the recovery from a tough start. "Especially when you have dew in your mind and you are batting first, you want to get those extra 10-15 runs - that was normally in 8 PM start games. [Now the] 7.30 start means the opposition will have at least half an hour when there will be a very little amount of dew on the field, which means it will not come on as nicely as it will in the second innings. So you have to score those 15-20 extra runs to make it even, and after that also you have to get early wickets to make a big mark on the game."

The Chennai based franchise managed less than a run-a-ball in their powerplay and scored 33 for 2 in that period after they were asked to bat first. 

A half-century from Suresh Raina and some lofty hits from Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran late in the innings had helped them surge to 188 for 7.

"Dew was one factor that was playing on our minds right from the start," Dhoni said. "That is the reason why we wanted to get as many runs as possible. Looking at the wicket, our batters did a very good job to reach 188 because the first few overs the wicket was a bit tacky, till the dew set in, which was a good 45 to 50 minutes after the start of the game.

"If we keep getting dew consistently, then definitely 200 is something all the sides will have in mind [as a target]. But as I said the first half an hour is different, that's where you have to get off to a good start."

Dhoni did praise credit the Delhi bowlers, but the advantage in the first half an hour is something even the Capitals batsman Shikhar Dhawan acknowledged.