Latest MS Dhoni News: Vivek Razdan, a former Indian cricketer, has recounted an amusing anecdote involving a young MS Dhoni who volunteered to open the batting in a club tournament on a difficult surface.
The incident occurred in 2003-04 before Dhoni made his international debut for India. Razdan was captaining the team in a local event being held in Bareilly.
The 52-year-old recalled the incident on Sportskeeda’s program SK Tales.
“At the time, he (Dhoni) was participating in the Duleep Trophy. However, there was a pause between matches. He was able to travel to participate in our semifinal. I was the captain in that game. After winning the toss, we elected to bowl since the surface seemed a little patchy. We weren’t sure how it would behave,” Vivek recalled.
The opposing squad was formidable. It had many Ranj Trophy players who were well-known. Ajay Jadeja, a former Indian batter, was a member of Razdan’s squad.
Latest MS Dhoni News: What did Razdan say about MS Dhoni?
Razdan went on to say the following, in addition to the story:
“Within the first few overs, we had figured out what the pitch was like. Some of the balls were bouncing uncomfortably, while others were keeping low. The opposition managed to score 150-155 in 40 overs. It was a remarkable achievement.
Because there were no changing rooms at the time, both teams had to sit in tents throughout the game. Razdan’s squad was able to overhear the opponents discussing the final. They believed it was impossible to score that many runs on such a sloppy surface.”
Because of the condition of the surface, Razdan recalled wishing for a more experienced player, to begin with, Jadeja. He spoke with a few seasoned hitters who, appropriately, indicated their hesitation to open the batting since they had never done so before. The former Indian bowler spoke up on how MSD came to be involved in the equation:
“MS Dhoni was also present at the event. Suddenly, he sprang to his feet and said, ‘I want to open.’ ‘Can I come with you?’ He exuded such assurance in his voice that I consented to his request without hesitation. Some individuals are afraid of obstacles. Others see them as chances to learn and grow.”
“He smashed the bowlers all over the park,” – Razdan on Dhoni’s inning
According to Razdan, he wanted the side to play out the first 15-17 overs in a cautious manner before turning their attention to the target. Dhoni, on the other hand, threw all of the calculations out the window. The former cricketer went on to tell an even more fascinating narrative, saying:
“After that, Dhoni moved to the opening. During the first 15-17 overs, we intended to bat conservatively and keep wickets in hand. The contest was turned in those few overs because of his performance. His partnership with Jadeja resulted in a total of 120 runs for the first wicket. Dhoni contributed at least 93 of them. He smashed the bowlers all over the place on such a tricky wicket.”
It was Razdan who remembered that one of the sixes struck the wall and bounced to the end of the bowler’s run-up. He concluded his statement by describing the reactions of the general public to the knock on the door of the future Indian superstar:
“Who is this guy?’ thought everyone who was observing him. They were also shocked. The incident occurred 18 years ago, and Dhoni continues to bear the weight of the nation’s hopes and aspirations on his shoulders.”
MSD, who is now 40 years old, has reclaimed the leadership of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for the IPL 2022 season after Ravindra Jadeja asked that he do so.
