CHENNAI: MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings go into their penultimate home game against Kings XI Punjab on Thursday knowing that a win will all but assure a playoff spot. With six wins on the bounce, confidence is high but the men in yellow are in no mood to take their feet off the gas despite sitting comfortably at the top of the pile with 16 points.
"I don't think we would really rest anyone (for the next game). I think it's important to continue playing your best XI," skipper Dhoni said after Tuesday night's win over the Pune Warriors.
His words made it pretty clear that CSK are looking to finish at the top to give themselves the best chance of making another final, rather than be content with a playoff spot.
CSK are being driven by their skipper himself and Dhoni's influence on games in this year's tournament can never be understated. He was, yet again, he was the game-changer on Tuesday with a 16-ball 45 that took CSK to a winning total.
Like CSK, Kings XI are also led by a wicketkeeper but the great Adam Gilchrist took a cue from fellow Australian great Ricky Ponting and dropped himself after a string of poor performances. David Hussey is expected to lead them again in Chennai.
The home team goes up against a Punjab side that can punch above their weight but their inconsistency sees them sitting in sixth place on 8 points. However, if a couple of key moments had not gone against them, they could have pulled off a stunning upset in their last game against the Mumbai Indians in Mumbai.
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