<p>Chennai Super Kings skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni said the batsmen let the team down after a spirited comeback by the bowlers in their Indian Premier League game against Kolkata Knight Riders here.</p>.<p>Chasing 168, veteran opener Shane Watson struck his second successive fifty to give CSK a perfect start on Wednesday, but the team choked at the back end of the innings and was restricted to 157 for five to suffer its fourth defeat in five matches.</p>.<p>"In the middle overs, there was a phase when they bowled two-three good overs. Then we lost two-three wickets in a row. If our batting was different during that period, the result would have been different," Dhoni said at the post-match presentation ceremony.</p>.<p>Earlier, 'Birthday Boy' Dwayne Bravo bowled a perfect final over to finish with figures of 3/37, while the trio of Sam Curran, Shradul Thakur and Karn Sharma claimed two each as CSK bowled KKR out for 167.</p>.<p><strong>Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/cricket/kkr-return-to-winning-ways-as-csk-choke-898796.html" target="_blank">KKR return to winning ways as CSK choke</a></strong></p>.<p>"Initially we gave away a few too many with the new ball. Karn (Sharma) did really well. The bowlers did well to bring them down to 160-odd. As a team we should have achieved the target but the batsmen let the bowlers down."</p>.<p>Dhoni promoted himself to No. 4 but was cleaned up by spinner Varun Chakravarthy, while Sam Curran became Andre Russell's victim after a brisk 11-ball 17.</p>.<p>"Rotation of strike is always important. At times we have to judge the deliveries. There were hardly any boundaries in the last three overs.</p>.<p>"You have to be slightly innovative in these scenarios. If someone is bowling just back of a length, you have to find a way to hit boundaries. We did not adapt well," Dhoni said.</p>.<p>Having returned to winning ways, KKR skipper Dinesh Karthik was all praise for his team, especially the duo of Sunil Narine (1/31 from four overs) and Andre Russell (1/18 from two overs) for their tidy bowling at the death.</p>.<p>"There are some key players for every team. Narine is one for us. Least we can do is back him. Two-three poor games don't matter," Karthik said.</p>.<p>Asked about their changed batting order, Karthik said: "Our batting is very fluid. I started at three, today I batted at seven. The way those guys batted at the start, they batted very well." </p>
<p>Chennai Super Kings skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni said the batsmen let the team down after a spirited comeback by the bowlers in their Indian Premier League game against Kolkata Knight Riders here.</p>.<p>Chasing 168, veteran opener Shane Watson struck his second successive fifty to give CSK a perfect start on Wednesday, but the team choked at the back end of the innings and was restricted to 157 for five to suffer its fourth defeat in five matches.</p>.<p>"In the middle overs, there was a phase when they bowled two-three good overs. Then we lost two-three wickets in a row. If our batting was different during that period, the result would have been different," Dhoni said at the post-match presentation ceremony.</p>.<p>Earlier, 'Birthday Boy' Dwayne Bravo bowled a perfect final over to finish with figures of 3/37, while the trio of Sam Curran, Shradul Thakur and Karn Sharma claimed two each as CSK bowled KKR out for 167.</p>.<p><strong>Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/cricket/kkr-return-to-winning-ways-as-csk-choke-898796.html" target="_blank">KKR return to winning ways as CSK choke</a></strong></p>.<p>"Initially we gave away a few too many with the new ball. Karn (Sharma) did really well. The bowlers did well to bring them down to 160-odd. As a team we should have achieved the target but the batsmen let the bowlers down."</p>.<p>Dhoni promoted himself to No. 4 but was cleaned up by spinner Varun Chakravarthy, while Sam Curran became Andre Russell's victim after a brisk 11-ball 17.</p>.<p>"Rotation of strike is always important. At times we have to judge the deliveries. There were hardly any boundaries in the last three overs.</p>.<p>"You have to be slightly innovative in these scenarios. If someone is bowling just back of a length, you have to find a way to hit boundaries. We did not adapt well," Dhoni said.</p>.<p>Having returned to winning ways, KKR skipper Dinesh Karthik was all praise for his team, especially the duo of Sunil Narine (1/31 from four overs) and Andre Russell (1/18 from two overs) for their tidy bowling at the death.</p>.<p>"There are some key players for every team. Narine is one for us. Least we can do is back him. Two-three poor games don't matter," Karthik said.</p>.<p>Asked about their changed batting order, Karthik said: "Our batting is very fluid. I started at three, today I batted at seven. The way those guys batted at the start, they batted very well." </p>