MS Dhoni has reached a point in his IPL career where the specifics of the match situation, the opposing team, and the venue hold little significance. Regardless of where he bats, what actions he takes, or who he faces, he is met with unwavering love, respect, and admiration. This has been the case in the IPL for several years, with the tournament serving as a grand tribute to Dhoni's exceptional talent. The reactions from Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, and Krunal Pandya following the Chennai Super Kings versus Royal Challengers Bengaluru match at Chepauk added another layer to this narrative.

When Dhoni came to bat at No. 9—indeed, you read that correctly—the match was effectively decided, as CSK required 98 runs from just 28 balls with only three wickets remaining. The primary question was the extent of RCB's victory margin, which ultimately stood at 50 runs. This was largely due to some late hitting from Ravindra Jadeja (25 off 19) and Dhoni (20* off 16). For RCB, this was a significant milestone, as they had finally breached CSK's stronghold for the first time since 2008, starting IPL 2025 with two impressive wins and securing the top position in the points table. However, while Dhoni was at the crease, the focus remained solely on him.

As the match concluded, RCB all-rounder Krunal Pandya embraced Dhoni. This gesture followed a bouncer he bowled to catch the legendary cricketer off guard during the second ball of the final over, only to see Dhoni hit consecutive sixes on the next two deliveries. RCB captain Rajat Patidar (51 off 32), who had earlier played a remarkable innings, removed his cap before extending his hand to Dhoni, a testament to the respect he has garnered from his fellow players.

Moments later, it was Kohli's turn to meet Dhoni. He shook his hands before getting involved in a warm and tight embrace, narrating more than a thousand words.

Patidar's impressive score of 51 propelled Bengaluru to a total of 196-7, despite the challenges posed by Afghan left-arm spinner Noor Ahmad, who secured the crucial wickets of Phil Salt during the powerplay and Virat Kohli in the middle overs. Kohli managed to score only 31 runs off 30 deliveries.

Bengaluru's newly strengthened pace attack, featuring Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood, effectively restricted Chennai during the initial six overs, leaving the home team struggling at 146-8.

Hazlewood made an immediate impact by taking two wickets in his opening over, dismissing Rahul Tripathi and Chennai captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, both caught off poorly executed pull shots, and later removing Ravindra Jadeja with another short delivery.

“The powerplay was pivotal for us as we claimed three wickets in those first six overs,” Patidar remarked. “It was impressive to see how they maintained a hard length, as the ball was not coming onto the bat easily.”

Kumar managed to catch Deepak Hooda's faint outside edge, while Yash Dayal further weakened Chennai's position at 80-6 in the 13th over by taking the wickets of Shivam Dube and top scorer Rachin Ravindra, who made 41 runs.

Dube attempted to cut Dayal's delivery but ended up inside edging it onto his stumps for 19 runs, followed by Ravindra, who was clean-bowled by a yorker.

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