Dhoni’s three-ball batting stay worth every penny

CHENNAI: It was 12:55 am (Tuesday) and the last train to the Central Metro, a station where commuters can change lines, was arriving at the Government Estate Metro.

Guess what? The train was greeted with loud chants of “Dhoni, Dhoni, Dhoni” by yellow-clad fans who flocked to the station after witnessing ‘Thala Dharisanam’ during the Chennai Super Kings-Lucknow Super Giants Indian Premier League 2023 contest at the MA Chidambaram here on Monday – for the uninitiated, free shuttle bus service from Chepauk to the Government Estate Metro was arranged for those who attended the match.

The CSK faithful, not only the ones who boarded the metros post-game but also the rest who made it to the team’s first home match of the season, were in seventh heaven, thanks to MS Dhoni’s action-packed three-ball stay in the middle.

The spectators feared the worst before the start of the 20th and final over in the first essay. “Seekrama out aagu (get out soon),” some fanatics seated in the F Lower stand were seen shouting when Ravindra Jadeja and Ambati Rayudu were at the crease. Their Chepauk experience on the night would not be complete without watching Dhoni with the blade.

The wish came true instantly as Jadeja found the deep mid-wicket fielder – Ravi Bishnoi – off express pacer Mark Wood in the first delivery. The ‘Yellow Brigade’ was craving for captain Dhoni’s arrival so much so that it wildly celebrated Jadeja’s departure.

Then arrived the moment that everyone was waiting for. Following the fall of the sixth wicket, out walked their beloved ‘No.7’ in the batting order’s eighth position. With those in attendance on cloud nine, the noise at the venue rose to a crescendo. Even the visiting wicketkeeper, Nicholas Pooran, stood in awe – “An unreal moment witnessing the crowd go mad for MS Dhoni,” the West Indian wrote on social media on Tuesday.

Dhoni was off to the perfect start and brought the roof down in the very first ball he faced, flashing hard at a wide Wood delivery for a maximum over backward point. The 41-year-old made it two sixes in as many deliveries and achieved a special feat – 5,000 runs in the IPL – when he sent the ball sailing into the stands on the leg-side.

After enjoying Dhoni take down Wood, the fans got greedy – they wanted their ‘Thala’ to find the fence in each of the remaining three deliveries. But, the Englishman had the last laugh as the CSK skipper swung hard only to hole out to Bishnoi at sweeper cover. Dhoni’s batting stay lasted only a few minutes, but it was worth every penny that was spent.