Dhoni happy to see CSK back in hunt

Raina scored 78 runs off 39 balls to help Chennai chase 140-run target with more than six overs to spare.

“Raina soaks up the pressure at number three, he has the responsibility of batting quickly and not getting out, he’s been brilliant at finishing games off. It is great for his career. I wish Chennai a very Happy Tamil New Year,” Dhoni said.

Dhoni also praised opener Murali Vijay for his excellent show with the bat. Vijay and Raina raised a stunning 137-run unbeaten partnership for the second wicket.
“Vijay initially looked very aggressive, but of late he’s realised that the body position is important and the results are showing.”

However, Dhoni said he is worried about their middle-order not getting enough practice due to splendid top-order show

“Good to be in a situation where you go in a bit nervous, it helped us today. Ashwin bowled well, the others chipped in well. The IPL is all about pressure. The way Raina and Vijay chased down 140 was good, it is a bit of a worry that the middle order is not getting enough practice,” he said.

Rival skipper Sourav Ganguly was a dejected man. “Not a good day for us. We picked the best team possible and tried our best. We lost too many in the first few overs and then did well to get 140. Expected it to turn a bit more, Raina batted beautifully. Hope we can win the next two games,” Ganguly said.