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The much-anticipated Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 clash between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at Chepauk turned into a historic night as RCB, under the leadership of Rajat Patidar, stunned CSK with a dominant 50-run victory. However, apart from the result, one of the most talked-about moments of the match was how Patidar, in a move reminiscent of Gautam Gambhir, set a tactical, aggressive field against the legendary MS Dhoni, restricting him from playing his natural game.
Gautam Gambhir’s shadow looms over Rajat Patidar’s tactics against MS Dhoni
Cricket fans were instantly reminded of former KKR captain Gambhir’s famous field setups against MS Dhoni when Patidar deployed an identical strategy at Chepauk. As soon as Dhoni walked in to bat at No. 9, RCB had already gained complete control of the match. However, instead of letting Dhoni settle and maneuver the ball ar🎶ound for easy singles, Patidar surrounded him with fie🉐lders, cutting off his scoring options.
Just like Gambhir did during his KKR days against Dhoni, Patidar placed fielders in aggressive positions – cover, mid-wicket, mid-on, short leg, and even a slip. The packed infield meant Dhoni had no space to rotate the strike, forcing him to either attempt risky shots or consume dot balls in his initial phase of batting. The strategic brilliance behind this setup quickly went viral, with fans digging up old clips of Gambhir using similar tactics to frustrate Dhoni in past IPL encounters. Former cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu also weighed in, highlighting how RCB’s field setting was a calculated🉐 move to neutralize one of the greatest f🔯inishers in cricket.
Also READ: IPL 2025: MS Dhon🧜i breaks Suresh Raina’s long-stand🍌ing record for CSK
RCB’s tactical brilliance and CSK’s struggles
RCB’s decision to take control early in the match paid off, as they dismantled CSK’s batting lineup with disciplined bowling. Josh Hazlewood led the charge with 3/21, well-supported by Yash Dayal (2/18) and Liam Livingstone (2/28).
CSK’s top order struggled, with Ruturaj Gaikwad falling for a golden duck and Rahul Tripathi and Deepak Hooda failing to make an impact. By the time Ravindra Jadeja tried to fight back with a few⛄ late blows, the match was already out of reach.
RCB’s victory at Chepauk after 17 long years signaled a major shift in their approach, and Patidar’s captaincy was a testament to their well-planned execution. The aggressive fielding strategy against Dhoni not only restricted him ܫbut also drew widespread appreciation for its tactical depth. As CSK regroups after this defeat, Patidar has announced himself as a captain with sharp tactical awareness, and his Gambhir-like approach to field placements may just be a blueprint for future teams facing Dhoni.
Here’s how fans reacted:
G💦ambhir watching Patidar’s field placement💮 for Dhoni- Is ladke to next tour me chance dete hain
— Gappistan Radio (@whyteknight07)
Captain Rajat Patida𒉰r 🔥 giving same vibe like Gautam Gambhir 🗿
— Anushka (@Anushka4kohli)
Patidar not doing a Gambhir out of respect?
— Kartik Kannan (@kartik_kannan)
Sir Rajat Patidar field placement for dhoni😭😭
— Suprvirat (@ishantraj51)
Gautam Gambhir gave a cheat code tꦓo every captain against🌸 Dhoni 🐢
Long Live Gautam Gambhir
— Aditya (@Hurricanrana_27)
The last time you saw this field against MS Dhoni was by Gautam Gambh🌠ir
— Let's X OTT GLOBAL (@LetsXOtt)
English commentators talking about thiꩲs field set-up done by gambhir whﷺen dhoni come to bat😭😭
— Rawಜು (@may_boi_)
Rajat Patidar
— Raja Babu (@GaurangBhardwa1)
Forward short leg for t🌊hala 🤣🤣 Patidar has unconditional support of we GG de🍎votees
— babu bisleri (@baabuOP)
