MS Dhoni on what Jasprit Bumrah adds to the Indian team and why he collects stumps after wins
Indian cricket captain MS Dhoni sounds a confident man on eve of the World T20 campaign, the tournament which most pundits have picked India as favourites to win. Five years after Dhoni hit a six to crown India 50-over world champions, and almost a decade since he led India to being the first ever World T20 champions, he is leading his country in what is possibly his last ICC world event.
After India’s convincing win in the warm-up match against West Indies in Kolkata on Thursday, Dhoni spoke about what sets his team apart, and also joked on why he collects stumps after every special victory. Having won 10 out of the 11 matches played this year, India’s form in T20s could have been no better heading into the tournament.
He said that Shami’s fitness was the only concern facing the team, and that everybody else was playing their part perfectly. Shami looked good in the warm-up match, finishing with figures of 2/30 in his four overs.
"The good thing with Bumrah is he technically has bit of pace," Dhoni said, when asked about the youngster who made his debut earlier this year.
"He does not have a normal action, so batsman also takes time to get used to it. At the same time, his execution of yorkers is also very good.”
Bumrah was on the mark in the match against West Indies, as he usually is, conceding only 6 runs in his 2 overs and taking one wicket.
Why Dhoni collects stumps
On being asked about his habit of taking stumps from the pitch and taking them with him, and what he does with them, Dhoni said with a smile, “I have to do my post-cricket plans you see.
"I don't mark the stumps that I collect. (Post-retirement) I'd watch the matches, look at the stumps and say 'ok, this is from that match'. I have enough to keep me occupied for years."
This is an answer Dhoni has given before. However, there is another theory circulating as to why Dhoni follows this peculiar ritual. This theory goes that Dhoni had a best friend in school called Kulbinder Singh, the son of his school’s watchman.
This friend had encouraged Dhoni to take up cricket. The rest, as we know, is history. Kulbinder had never reached the heights of fame and prosperity that Dhoni had, but he made a peculiar request to Dhoni, as the theory goes.
He refused to take any money from his friend, but said that he would like 320 cricket stumps to build a fence around his house with. Dhoni has never mentioned this friend or this motive for collecting stumps. Therefore, at this stage, this remains one of the several legends associated with the Indian captain.