New Delhi, April 18 (IANS) Former Mumbai cricketer Aditya Tare stressed the importance of MS Dhoni in Chennai Super Kings’ setup ahead of their key fixture against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday, stating that the former CSK captain’s experience in a relatively young side, especially in high-pressure encounters, will be crucial.

“Chennai Super Kings need MS Dhoni more than ever. If he is fit to play, he has to play against Sunrisers Hyderabad in any capacity. I would personally want him to keep wickets for the full 20 overs because he is excellent behind the stumps. No disrespect to Sanju’s wicket-keeping, but you need that experience,” Tare told JioStar.

With Chennai preparing for a crucial outing, Tare believes Dhoni’s leadership and on-field inputs could prove decisive in tight situations, particularly for a side blending youth with experience.

“There is a lot of youth in CSK’s line-up and their two debutants – Kartik Sharma and Prashant Veer need that guidance of someone as experienced as Mahi bhai. The team has shown a lot of faith in those two players, but if you have MSD, you have to make him play. His presence will help Kartik and Prashant handle the pressure better. Mahi bhai has always been a great support to Ruturaj and to the bowlers. We have seen him constantly talking to the bowlers and guiding them and that is something which will give an extra edge to Chennai against SRH,” he added.

Reflecting on Gujarat Titans’ chase against the Kolkata Knight Riders, Tare highlighted Gill’s composure and control through the innings.

He heaped praise on the GT skipper for anchoring the innings in their successful chase on Friday.

“Gujarat Titans chased down 180 runs with ease. Yes, the game went to the last over, but Shubman Gill had already done the damage with the bat. He looked in complete command and his shot selection was excellent. He ran singles and doubles well and played proper cricketing strokes. GT’s Batting Coach Matthew Hayden would be proud of him. Gill controlled the middle overs against KKR and Gujarat’s win showed how KKR felt after the game. They simply had no answers to the way Gill batted,” Tare noted.

–IANS

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