IPL 2025: Dhoni, Pant - Both Wicket Keeper Batsmen, Finally Come Good in IPL 2025

The story of MS Dhoni and Rishabh Pant couldn't be any more similar and dissimilar, at the same time.

One is a veteran, the other is middle-aged. One retired from international cricket, the other is having a stop and go kind of career. One is a talismanic 'uncapped player' for his franchise, the other is the costliest player-captain this IPL season (Rs 27 crore).

But after the initial rounds of matches, both CSK's Dhoni and LSG's Pant found themselves out of touch with the bat and having to prove a point despite being the star attractions of their respective teams. Both went lower down the batting order when their team was struggling.

Also Read: IPL 2025: LSG Post 166/7; Is It Good Enough to Beat Dhoni's Boys?

And last night, in a strange encounter between LSG and CSK, Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow, both finally came good, even though the final result of the match was favourable to only one. But their performances set the narrative for the match last night. Dhoni's batting helped CSK snap its losing streak, while LSG, which had the momentum with it going into the match, was halted on its tracks.

Pant scored 63 off 49 balls, his first fifty of the season, at a strike rate of 128.57. Nothing extraordinary when batters like Nicholas Pooran are going well over 200 in strike rate across several innings. Though Pant was not his fluent self, his was more of an anchoring innings as LSG suffered early setbacks losing in-form batters Aiden Markram and Nicholas Pooran. The reverse scoop of Jamie Overton for six showed that his ebullient spirit is still intact. Pant's innings included two massive sixes off Matheesha Pathirana in the 18th over, helping LSG reach a competitive total of 166/7. In all, Pant hit  4 fours, 4 sixes, but more importantly showed that he has the resilience to come back from hardships.

Of course, Dhoni too is no stranger to rise from the ashes. The great man has weathered many a storm in his long and illustrious career. But this season has been  a tumultuous one as he had been directly held responsible for CSK's poor show --- 5 defeats on the trot with no real batting firepower. When he walked in, CSK was in its usual strife with more than 50 to get off the final five. In the previous matches, the elder statesman cricketer had fluffed his lines in similar situations. 

But last night,  Dhoni showed why he is a champion after all. In the company of Shivam Dube, Dhoni hit a match-deciding 26 off 11 at a strike rate of 236.36. His cameo wasn't exactly convincing as there were streaky boundaries and one-handed sixes. In total, he hit 3 fours, 2 sixes, and helped CSK cross the line, and won the Man of the Match --- his first for CSK since 2019. The Chennai team won with 3 balls to spare, and has brought some purpose to its campaign in IPL 2025.

Dhoni also achieved a milestone during the match, becoming the first wicketkeeper in IPL history to complete 200 dismissals. 

Also Read: IPL 2025: CSK Seek Redemption in Clash Against LSG