"MS Dhoni has this special medicine"- Mohammad Kaif hails CSK skipper's ability to get the best out of his players ahead of IPL 2024

Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif is in awe of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni and his ability to make his teammates perform to the best of their abilities.

Kaif shed light on how the likes of Tushar Deshpande and Ajinkya Rahane stepped up under Dhoni's leadership and took their performances to the next level. The former cricketer highlighted that the two players didn't have a great IPL career before joining CSK and was amazed to see how Dhoni turned it around.

Here's what Mohammad Kaif told Star Sports about MS Dhoni's leadership:

"You can talk about Tushar Deshpande and the cameos of Ajinkya Rahane, especially in the final. I can say that these are players who have not got a great record in the IPL but when they go to Dhoni and Chennai, I wonder what happens to them, what special guidance they get that everyone starts playing well. Dhoni has this special medicine that makes the players fit, alert, and play well for the team.”

In 16 matches in IPL 2023, Tushar Deshpande picked up 21 wickets and stepped up brilliantly in the absence of CSK's spearhead Deepak Chahar. Rahane scored 326 runs in 14 games last year at an outstanding strike rate of 172.49.

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Irfan Pathan on MS Dhoni's challenges in IPL 2024

Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan was also present in the discussion and underlined the challenges that MS Dhoni might face as a skipper in the IPL 2024 season. Deepak Chahar will be back in action but could be rusty as he returns from injury.

Pathan also shed light on the lean patch of form that Sri Lankan speedster Matheesha Pathirana had been through in international cricket and the fact that CSK will be without the services of the prolific Devon Conway for the first phase of the tournament. He stated:

“This time Deepak Chahar is just coming back from injury, Pathirana’s performances for Sri Lanka haven't been great, form isn't too great, Conway has also gotten injured. Now if 3 or 4 of your main players have been injured or their form isn't good, then the team management’s challenge gets tougher. So there is a challenge for MS Dhoni but since we know Dhoni is a mastermind, he will do something or the other and manage like he's done every year.”

CSK will kickstart the IPL 2024 season with an encounter against the Royal Challengers Bangalore on March 22. The defending champions would be keen to get their hands on a record sixth IPL title.