Do not ever rule out Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
Many have tried, many have fallen...and yet, they never seem to learn. Over and over again, he rocks up to dish it out in his special style and make them eat their words.
Before the Rising Pune Supergiant played Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday, Dhoni had a strike rate of just 87.50 in five matches in the tenth season of the Indian Premier League. Before the tournament, he had been removed as captain. The murmurs started. He was no longer the “king of the jungle”.
He walked in with his team needing 90 off 55 balls. The start was again circumspect: 26 off the first 23 balls and the asking run rate soared to unimaginable proportions. Forty-seven was required off 18 balls and...Dhoni took over.
First, Mohammed Siraj was taken for a few. Then, against the best bowler of this tournament and the current Purple Cap holder, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, MS Dhoni turned the clock back. Out came that bat speed, out came those wrists and the ball started disappearing. And just like he’s done so many times before, he finished it off...no, not with a six, but with a four.
Twitter couldn’t stop gushing.
Of course, everyone wanted a reaction from a very specific person:
Turned out he had been converted as well!
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