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Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni once again proved his tactical brilliance, this time in the field, as his astute judgment led to the crucial early dismissal of Lucknow Super Giants’ (LSG) dangerous batter Nicholas Pooran.
Anshul Kamboj and MS Dhoni’s review masterstroke seals early wicket for Chennai Super Kings
The incident took place in the third over of the first innings during the clash between LSG and CSK at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.
Having won the toss and elected to bowl, CSK were looking for early breakthroughs. Left arm-pacer Khaleel Ahmed provided just that by removing Aiden Markram with the help of Rahul Tripathi’s brilliance. Young pacer Anshul Kamboj soon joined the party, but not without a little help from his legendary captain. Kamboj, bowling his second over, pitched one up on middle stump to Pooran. The left-handed batter attempted a flick but was beaten by the slight inward movement, and the ball struck him on the pads.
While the on-field umpire remained unmoved, Kamboj seemed convinced that the ball was destined for the stumps. He turned immediately to Dhoni behind the wickets, his animated appeal suggesting a strong belief in the dismissal. Initially, Dhoni appeared hesitant, engaging in a brief discussion with the bowler. However, Kamboj’s persistence and conviction seemed to sway the veteran captain.
Dhoni, known for his exceptional DRS (Decision Review System) record, finally signalled for the review with just seconds left on the timer. The replays confirmed Kamboj’s instincts. Hawk-Eye technology revealed that the ball had pitched in line, the impact was in line, and it was crashing into the leg stump. The big screen flashed ‘OUT’, sending a wave of elation through the CSK camp and a hush over the Lucknow crowd.
Pooran, who was looking threatening with two boundaries in his brief innings of 8 runs off 9 balls, was forced to leave the field. The dismissal was a significant blow to the Super Giants, who rely heavily on Pooran’s explosive top-order batting.
It's still Dhoni Review System (DRS) pic.twitter.com/kaC24u6roF
— Cricket (@Kricketvideos) April 14, 2025
Young Ashul Kamboj forced MS Dhoni to go for a review and got his call spot on! #LSGvsCSK #NicholasPooran pic.twitter.com/hlHzzhcpZ7
— Kumar Sourav (@AdamDhoni1) April 14, 2025
Also WATCH: Rahul Tripathi pulls off a sensational catch to send Aiden Markram back – IPL 2025, LSG vs CSK
CSK dominate LSG on a batting friendly surface
Opting to bowl first in their seventh game of the IPL 2025 season, CSK showcased a disciplined bowling effort, limiting LSG to 166/7 on what appeared to be a favourable batting surface. CSK’s bowlers struck early, dismissing Aiden Markram and Nicholas Pooran cheaply. While LSG captain Rishabh Pant anchored the innings with a steady 63 (49), supported by contributions from Mitchell Marsh, Ayush Badoni and Abdul Samad, CSK regained control in the later overs. Ravindra Jadeja’s economical spell yielded two wickets, and Matheesha Pathirana also claimed two. Anshul Kamboj’s tight bowling earned him a crucial wicket, and Noor Ahmad was miserly in his four overs. CSK now has the task of chasing 167 runs, entering the second innings of the match with an upper hand.
