IPL 2025: CSK's Shaik Rasheed credits net bowlers for his knock against LSG

Young CSK opener Shaik Rasheed dedicated his impactful knock against LSG to net bowlers, while speaking about how MS Dhoni and Shivam Dube motivated him to stay calm ahead of his IPL debut match.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batter Shaik Rasheed described his nervousness before the match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Monday and how he was advised by Shivam Dubey and Mahendra Singh Dhoni to stay calm, focus on the ball, and show intent.

In a video posted by IPL, Rasheed said that he wanted to dedicate his knock to the net bowlers and acknowledged their hard work and support.

"I was very nervous. How should I play? The approach is the same. I have to show my intent. Shivam Bhai and Mahi Bhai said the way things keep your body as calm as possible. Don't look at the audience. Just react to the ball; that's it. I want to dedicate this knock to the net bowlers.

They bowled so well. They put in a lot of effort for me. That's why I gave it to them," Shaik Rasheed said in a video posted by IPL.

Rasheed makes his impactful IPL debut

Shaik Rasheed made a memorable entry into the Indian Premier League on Monday, displaying nerves of steel. Rasheed scored 27 runs from 19 balls, featuring six boundaries, aiding CSK in a quick beginning while pursuing 167 against LSG.

He built a strong foundation for CSK with a 52-run opening partnership with Rachin Ravindra (37 runs from 22 balls), providing the middle-order batters time on the crease.

Shaik Rasheed's performance in domestic cricket

Rasheed is a talented top-order batsman who has played for Andhra Pradesh in domestic cricket. Before his IPL debut, he participated in 19 First-Class matches, accumulating 1204 runs with an average of 37. 62, in addition to playing 12 List A and 17 T20 matches.

Chennai, who appeared off-colour after losing five on the trot for the first time in a single IPL campaign, found its lost swagger in Lucknow as they gunned down the 167-run target and trounced the Super Giants comprehensively to return to winning ways.