Video: How MS Dhoni is working to improve his death over play
What’s the story?
Ahead of the T20I series beginning on Thursday at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur, MS Dhoni was seen improving an aspect of his game which has troubled him in recent times- the ability to get runs at the death overs and effectively tackle the full deliveries.
On Wednesday, the former India captain was seen employing a new strategy to get the better of bowlers at that stage of an innings. Placing the ball just outside the wide mark, the 35-year-old made Jasprit Bumrah bowl to him at that mark as he tried to scoop the ball over a non-existent third man.
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In recent times, teams have tended to use the wide yorker theory with Dhoni, thereby not allowing him to go for the helicopter shot, which has proven to be his goto shot for a large part of his career.
The heart of the matter
It’s a strategy which bowlers have developed against Dhoni since bowling the yorker at the middle or the leg-stump would mean the Ranchi-born cricketer would bring the helicopter shot into play, the connection of which sees the ball land deep into the stands.
However, with the wide yorker, it makes it difficult for Dhoni to hit that shot across the line and he has never been a player who has hit too many inside out strokes. Neville Madziva was someone who caught him napping with that outside the off-stump line and eventually, helped Zimbabwe pull off a narrow win over India last year.
What’s next?
Adding that scoop shot and executing it on match-day would make the bowlers think further on how to attack Dhoni and where else to bowl to him. The key will be to hit the point between the off stump and the wide mark and hope that Dhoni misses else with the third man in, the ball is sure to head to the fence.
Sportskeeda’s take
It is incredible to see a player like Dhoni continue to improve at the age of 35 and despite having played 12 years of international cricket. It is an indication of his hunger and will to improve and his constant ability to stand ahead of the bowler, when it comes to the business end of an innings.