MS Dhoni downplays captaincy as Chennai win in IPL

MS Dhoni downplayed his return as Chennai Super Kings captain and the team's comfortable Indian Premier League victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday as a mere "coincidence".

Openers Ruturaj Gaikwad (99) and Devon Conway (85 not out) put on this season's best stand of 182 to guide Chennai to 202-2, a total their bowlers defended by restricting Hyderabad to 189-6 in Pune.

Dhoni, who gave up the captaincy ahead of this IPL season, accepted the armband from Ravindra Jadeja after the latter stepped down following the team's six losses from eight games.

India great Dhoni played down the leadership switch, but said the weight of captaincy may have weighed too heavy on Jadeja.

"I did nothing different, when you are in the same dressing room you keep saying the same things," the 40-year-old Dhoni said after Chennai's third win this season.

"It's not like when you change the captain a lot of things change. It's one of those coincidences where we got off to a good start and forced the bowlers to bowl the areas where we wanted to hit.

"Once you become captain, it means a lot of demands come in and can affect the player's performance and occupy their mind which I think was the case with him," said Dhoni.

"I think captaincy burdened his prep and performances, it meant he could not go with the bat and ball with the same intensity."

Dhoni, who led India to two World Cup titles, received a rousing welcome when he walked out for the toss with Hyderabad skipper Kane Williamson who put Chennai in to bat.

Gaikwad and the left-handed Conway put on 182 in 17.5 overs to propel their side to an imposing total.

Umran Malik, who returned figures of 5-25 in his previous match, hit the mark again with a yorker to Dhoni.

Gaikwad, who hit six