MS Dhoni was shown a video from IPL 2024, where he analysed his diving catch against GT. The catch went viral last year, and was lauded by fans, experts.
MS Dhoni returned to action on Sunday as Chennai Super Kings defeated Mumbai Indians in their IPL 2025 opener. The former India cricketer showcased his fitness to fans with a sensational stumping in the match. The 43-year-old showed lightning quick hands behind the stumps, as he collected Noor Ahmad’s delivery cleanly to his right and whipped the bails off in a snap in the 11th over of the first innings, to remove MI skipper Suryakumar Yadav (29).
Chennai Super Kings’ MS Dhoni falls on the ground while fielding.(AFP)
Speaking on JioHotstar, the former CSK captain was shown a video from IPL 2024, where he analysed his diving catch against GT. The catch went viral last year, and was lauded by fans and experts.
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‘It’s a fluke’: MS Dhoni makes special confession
But to everyone’s surprise, Dhoni confessed that it was a fluke, and joked about his fitness in the video.
“It’s a fluke. If you closely monitor it, it feels like a sack of rice falling from the back of a truck. The whole thing is if we can reach with two hands, I’ve always been a fan of trying to take catches with two hands, and it helps. So it always feels good if you can contribute like this. But I’m not somebody who you would see dive around a lot or to take those, you know, great catches, one-handed great catches. I’m quite a safekeeper. I like to keep it that,” he said.
Dhoni also explained his love for wicketkeeping, and why he has always performed in that role. “It’s a challenge, you know, and that’s what makes it interesting and also the fact that if I’m not wicketkeeping, I think I’m useless on the field. Because that’s where I read the game in the best possible manner. I have to be really close to the game, for the angles, to see how the bowler is bowling, how the wicket is behaving. What is the change,” he said.
“In the first six overs with the new ball, the wicket behaves differently. After that, has it changed or it remains the same, all these things, when I’m right behind the stump, I’m in a better position to judge what really is happening and then to convey to the captain as to this is what is happening, whether it’s a bad delivery that has gone for a 6 or it’s a good delivery that the batsman has hit for a 6. I can differentiate between the two when I’m behind the stumps,” he added.
Although, Ruturaj Gaikwad is the current CSK skipper, Dhoni is still the most central figure within the team when it comes to key decisions, especially regarding reviews during a match. The wicketkeeper-batter’s experience has been handy for Gaikwad, who has been over-reliant on the former Chennai captain.
