Dhoni bludgeoned an unbeaten 34-ball 70, a knock comprising seven sixes and a four, and added 101 runs with Ambati Rayudu, who scored 82 in 53 balls, as Chennai scored the 80 runs required in the final six overs to seal a five-wicket victory with two balls to spare.

With AB de Villiers scoring an audacious 30-ball 68 in the first innings, lifting eight sixes along the way, and Rayudu going over the fence eight times as well, the match saw a total of 33 sixes – an IPL record.

In the final over, with 16 runs required, Dwayne Bravo managed consecutive boundaries off Anderson, leaving it for Dhoni to finish things off with a trademark six. And he did just that.

Finishing, however, is about much more than that. “You can score runs, but if you can help others score at that point in time, run quick runs in the wicket, tell what the bowler will be looking to do according to his batting style – all those things matter,” Dhoni said.

“It’s not just about me batting at the death. (It is about) sharing that with the youngsters and helping them get that experience. Tomorrow I may not be batting with them, I may get out, but he needs to do the job.”

De Kock also admitted that Dhoni had worked around Bangalore’s plans expertly, saying, “We thought our thinking was spot on but when you have got a guy like Dhoni, he knows how to outwit certain bowling at the death.”

Victory pushed Chennai to the top of the table on net run-rate, over Kings XI Punjab on second spot. Bangalore remained in sixth spot, following their fourth loss in six games.