Dhoni set to join Kohli in exclusive club, Rahul eyes spectacular record during CSK vs LSG clash at IPL 2023

Tasked to end Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) winless run in the 16th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), legendary MS Dhoni is eyeing a spectacular record in his upcoming outing against KL Rahul’s Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Chepauk.

After suffering a heartbreaking defeat to defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) in the IPL 2023 opener, Dhoni’s CSK are set to play their first home game since 2019 on Monday.

Four-time winners CSK will host Rahul and Co. in match No.5 of the IPL 2023 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. Dhoni, who is the most-capped player in the history of IPL, is 8 runs away from joining Virat Kohli in an elite list. The 41-year-old is on the cusp of completing 5,000 runs in the world-richest T20 league. Nicknamed Thala, the charismatic leader of the Yellow Brigade has amassed 4,992 runs in 235 matches.

The CSK skipper is set to become the seventh player in the history of IPL to complete 5,000 runs. Batting icons Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan, David Warner, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina and AB de Villiers have scaled Mount 5k in the cash-rich league. Averaging almost 40, Dhoni has batted at a strike rate of over 135 in 235 IPL games.

While Dhoni is on the verge of achieving a monumental feat, LSG skipper Rahul is chasing multiple batting records in CSK’s first home game of the IPL 2023 at the Chepauk. The visiting captain is 11 sixes short of completing 300 maximums in the shortest format. Rahul is also 65 runs away from amassing 500 runs against CSK in the cash-rich league.

The Indian opener is 103 runs away from completing 4,000 runs in IPL. Interestingly, the LSG skipper can also complete 100 catches in the shortest format. Rahul has taken 94 catches in T20s. Rahul was dismissed for 8 off 12 balls in LSG’s IPL 2023 opener against Delhi Capitals (DC) on Saturday. However, Rahul’s LSG outclassed DC by 50 runs to register their first win of the new season.

Rahul smashed 616 runs in 15 matches last season. The LSG superstar has represented the likes of Sunrisers Hyderabad, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Punjab Kings in the elite T20 tournament. Former Indian vice-captain Rahul has accumulated 3897 runs in 110 matches at the IPL. The 30-year-old made his IPL debut against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium in 2013.