We have always known MS Dhoni to be brilliant behind the stumps, not just with the gloves but for his anticipation. He has been like a mentor for the young spinners in the side. The 37-year-old can be heard every now and then suggesting the likes of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal about what lines to bowl.
In the first ODI against New Zealand in Napier, Dhoni’s genius was on the show once again. The hosts, batting first, had crumbled to 157/9. Kuldeep had bagged 3 wickets for 39 and was bowling the last ball of his spell. The tail-ender Trent Boult was on the strike.
The spinner was set to bowl from over the wicket. But Dhoni suggested him to come around the wicket. He shouted in Hindi, “Rokega, ye aankh band karke rokega”. The wicketkeeper had predicted that the batsman will just block without having any idea of which way the ball would turn.
Dhoni asked Kuldeep to change the angle and bowl at the stump and turn the ball away from Boult. The young chinaman obliged. From around the wicket, he bowled a googly. As Dhoni had predicted, Boult played a defensive block and had no idea of the turn. The ball spun away ever so slightly and caught the outside edge. Rohit Sharma, in the slip, took an easy catch to send Boult packing.
After the dismissal, Dhoni pointed at the bowler who was in awe of his former captain’s intuition. Kuldeep ended with figures of 39/4 as the Kiwis were bowled out for 157. India, in reply, chased the target down with 8 wickets in hand on the back of 75 runs from Shikhar Dhawan.
Here’s the video of the incident
https://twitter.com/183_264/status/1087954525800091648
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