IPL Pulse: Definitely not (yet)

Good morning.

No, MS Dhoni hasn't retired yet. At least in public. CSK fans must be feeling hard done by, not just for the missing farewell, but because the home team have nearly said goodbye to a playoffs berth. We now have three slots sealed. And we still have five teams technically in the race for the final berth.

Missed any of the action last night? Let us take you through the key bits with the IPL Pulse.

Last night in five lines

Samson cameos, Gaikwad gets stuck in to-and-fro CSK innings

Cummins's crafty cutters slow down home team

Brevis gives them a late push on sluggish pitch

SRH openers take time before Klaasen, Kishan set up win

CSK still in the hunt, but others have a better chance

Oh, that happened

No, that did not happen. Days before the fixture, there was a palpable buzz around MS Dhoni. It looked like Chepauk would get to see him in action one last time. He travelled to the stadium, but sat out of the game, only showing up for the mid-innings photoshoot and the customary end-of-season lap of honour. No words, just smiles and waves. If that's that, it was a meek end to a titanic legacy.

Pulse Awards

Ruturaj Gaikwad gets the captain straggler award for a slowpoke effort that went nowhere. Thrice this season, he has had a boundaryless sequence of at least 20 balls. And he was let go easy, with no questions on his batting in the post-match chat.

Ishan Kishan gets the cheeky chappy award for bringing out an imaginary whistle after blowing away CSK's bowling attack. After the game, a grinning Kishan was seemingly gesturing at fans to go home. That won't sit well with some.

MS Dhoni gets the suspense merchant award for keeping fans on their toes throughout the season without facing a ball. It continues a full circle moment: once a ticket collector, he can now sell tickets without needing to turn out in a kit. That wasn't the end game, right?

Aaron Finch gets the Aaron 'Flinch' award for nearly passing out when the fireworks took off following CSK lap of honour. Startled by the sudden boom, he held his chest and bent to his knees during the broadcast, inviting a round of laughter from his colleagues.

Talking point

Gaikwad, and his batting. Among openers who have faced at least 100 balls this season, he has the lowest strike rate. When it mattered most, Gaikwad never really got going, and the knock stuck out jarringly in a game where CSK just did not adjust as well as SRH did.

Chatter

Stephen Fleming says there's been a lot of discussion on his future at CSK. "We've introduced some new players that will hopefully be generation players for the CSK, but I know we are judged on results, that's fair," he said, leaving the call to the management.

When asked about the discussions after folding for 85 all out in their last game, Pat Cummins smiled and said: "Yeah, I wouldn't say we are famous for responsible batting!"

Ishan Kishan reminded us that it's all about self-belief: "Sometimes the situation is difficult, but these games are won because you need to believe in yourself. You cannot doubt yourself at any point of time."

Heinrich Klaasen isn't the pretentious type: "Yeah, the first couple of balls I blocked and I said, no, I can't play cricket like this. I need to be aggressive on this wicket, and it made my way tonight."

Stat snack

The tide has turned. This was the first time SRH achieved the double over CSK in an IPL season. They now have successive victories against CSK at Chepauk after losing five consecutive games against them in Chennai since 2013.

Gossip column

You can never know with the great man. May 18 was billed as a swansong by many, but an official announcement never came. Whispers continue around MSD's future, with some suggesting he isn't exactly done yet. For a guy who turns 45 in two months, the body can only be stretched so much. And if he's decided to call it off, it's likely to be an Instagram post than a pre-planned event.

Tonight's watchlist

Rajasthan Royals's next two games are against the eliminated teams: Lucknow Super Giants and Mumbai Indians. The first of those is tonight, and a win is crucial for them to squeeze into the top four. Watch out for the battle between a 15-year-old Sooryavanshi and Shami, two decades his senior.

Reckless prediction for tonight

The plague that is the 'chit celebration' continues. Someone scores a century and goes for his pocket. Accidentally pulls out a laundry bill.