IPL 2023: CSK coach Stephen Fleming all praise for ‘UNNOTICED’ MS Dhoni after win against SRH

Chennai Super Singh head coach Stephen Fleming thinks MS Dhoni doesn’t get enough credit for his wicketkeeping skills. Dhoni, who effected a stumping, a run-out and took a catch in CSK’s win over Sunrisers Hyderabad, is arguably one of the best finishers the game has ever witnessed.

“It’s a natural talent. I don’t think he gets enough credit for his keeping but to be honest, he is an absolute craftsman, an absolute masterclass behind the stumps and often goes unnoticed with all the things he does,” said Fleming at the post match presentation after CSK’s win.

While Dhoni has had few balls to play in the ongoing IPL season, he was at his wicketkeeping best against the Sunrisers Hyderabad.  The CSK skipper was part of three SRH dismissals, namely Aiden Markram – his counterpart, Mayank Agarwal and Washington Sundar.

Among the three dismissals, it was Aiden Markram’s catch in the 13th over which even surprised Dhoni himself. Markram tried to cut a short ball from Maheesh Theekshana but could only edge it behind the stumps which stuck to Dhoni’s hand as he leapt a bit.

 “I felt it was a fantastic catch. I was in such a wrong position. Just because we wear gloves, people think it’s easy. A long time back I still remember one game – Rahul Dravid was keeping and he caught one like that. With your skill set, you can’t take a catch like that. You have to be in a very wrong position to be able to take that kind of a catch,” Dhoni said about the catch.

MSD also set the record of most catches (208) in T20s by a wicketkeeper Markram’s catch, surpassing Quinton de Kock. For the other two wickets, Dhoni stumped Mayank Agarwal exactly an over after off Ravindra Jadeja while he ran Washington Sundar out on the last ball of SRH’s innings for the third.

During the chase, Devon Conway scored 77 not out off 57 balls as CSK hunted down the below-par score of 138 in 18.4 overs with seven wickets in hand.

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