Virat Kohli could be seen entering the CSK dressing room, seemingly in search of MS Dhoni who abruptly walked away without taking part in customary handshakes.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru secured the final Playoff spot dramatically on Saturday night, defeating defending champions Chennai Super Kings by 27 runs in their must-win final IPL league match. This crucial victory, RCB’s sixth in a row, was anchored by a formidable total of 218 for five after being invited to bat first. Their bowlers then effectively restricted CSK to 191 for seven, marking RCB’s ninth appearance in the Playoffs over 17 seasons.
Virat Kohli (L) seemingly chased MS Dhoni after the latter abruptly exited the field without the customary handshakes(IPL)
Following the match, MS Dhoni, the legendary former CSK captain, who had been dismissed in the final over of the run-chase, led the side’s players out for the customary handshakes. However, with the RCB players immersed in jubilant celebrations over their play-off qualification, Dhoni paused for a few moments before turning back and urging captain Ruturaj Gaikwad to lead the handshakes instead.
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Dhoni then proceeded to shake hands with a few members of the RCB dugout before making his way into the dressing room.
The video of Dhoni walking back sparked a flurry of conversations on social media; now, adding to the buzz, another video has emerged showing Virat Kohli, RCB’s star batter, approaching the CSK dressing room, seemingly in search of Dhoni.
Notably, Dhoni did not shake hands with many of the RCB players, including Kohli, on the field. This may have prompted Kohli, who holds Dhoni in high regard, to follow him post-match, indicating a desire to meet with his former India captain personally.
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The Playoff lineup
The game had witnessed a valiant fightback from CSK, led by Ravindra Jadeja’s unbeaten 42 and Dhoni’s 25, which momentarily threatened RCB’s chances of a Playoff qualification. Rachin Ravindra’s impressive 61 had set a competitive pace for CSK earlier; however, Yash Dayal’s calm and calculated performance in the final over sealed the win for RCB.
With Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals, and Sunrisers Hyderabad already securing their play-off spots, RCB completed the Playoff lineup on Saturday night and will now await their opponents in the Eliminator match. KKR will finish the season at the top of the table and will conversely be waiting for the confirmation on their opponents for the first Playoff match, scheduled in Ahmedabad.
