Kohli, others heap praise on Dhoni
PUNE: A little over six years after the catchphrase “Dhoni finishes it off in style” became the anthem of the nation, the former Indian captain produced a knock out of the top drawer, including a lastball four, as Rising Pune Supergiant picked up their third win of the season beating champions Sunrisers Hyderabad by six wickets.
It wasn’t a smooth chase though with the hosts needing 56 runs to win off the last 23 deliveries as Ben Stokes walked back to the pavilion. Dhoni, batting on 21 off 19 deliveries then, began the carnage as he raced to 54 off the next 12 deliveries he faced leaving only 11 for the last over.
With two required off the final delivery, Dhoni picked up the crucial boundary through the extra cover region.
“I don’t have words to describe the knock. Mahi bhai is a player of such situations only,” Imran Tahir said at the postmatch media conference. “It was unbelievable to watch them bat; first Tripathi and then Dhoni and we’re excited and hope we’ll get to see him bat this way more. It’s great to see him bat.”
Dhoni had aggregated just 61 runs in the last five innings and with critics slamming him, this knock was badly needed.
It impressed Virat Kohli too, with the Indian captain taking to Twitter to praise his predecessor. “MS Dhoni does what he’s done with so much confidence over the years. What a champion knock. Great to watch,” he stated.
The praises grew manifold with others joining in. “Champion stuff from @msdhoni , another day at work. The IPL is ready and ripe now,” India offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin posted on his official handle while Ravi Shastri wrote, “Nothing new. Legend finishes off in style @msdhoni @RPSupergiants #RPSvSRH #Dhoni”.
Though on the losing side, Shikhar Dhawan couldn’t help but praise his former India captain. He blamed his side’s fielding for the loss.
“Dhonibhai is an experienced player and has seen his side through on such occasions a number of times,” Dhawan said. “Also, I feel the two catches that we dropped cost us the match. The way Siddharth was bowling even with batsmen like Dhoni at the other end, (we had a chance). Unfortunately we dropped a catch off the first ball of the last over. I feel we bowled well, just that we didn’t field well.”