‘You got to remember playing an innings like that [is hard]. We had got a bit blasé about how special they were’ – Stephen Fleming on the criticism surrounding MS Dhoni © BCCI
There are several reasons that make MS Dhoni one of cricket’s greatest finishers: his calmness under pressure, for example, or his determination that no target is beyond him. But there were other factors in play on Saturday when he turned Rising Pune Supergiant’s failing chase on its head.
Dhoni had come into that game with 61 runs in 73 balls with a strike-rate of 87.14. Those numbers worried the franchise and, elsewhere, sparked debate over whether it was time for India to blood in a new wicketkeeper batsman, like Rishabh Pant. All of this created an anxiety in Dhoni, his coach Stephen Fleming revealed, and a desperation to do well.
Dhoni used them as fuel to gun down an equation that read 47 off 18 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad, the best death-bowling team in this IPL. “It was vintage, wasn’t it,” Fleming said on Sunday, ahead of Pune’s upcoming match against Mumbai Indians. “It was a performance that was befitting of a man who has the reputation of being a great finisher.”
Prior to the match-winning 61 off 34 balls though, there was restlessness about Dhoni’s non-performance. Fleming reasoned that was only because everybody had grown used to him playing the role of finisher to perfection.
“There has been a discussion around when was the last time he has played an innings like that,” Fleming said. “You have to remember playing an innings like that [is hard]. We had got a bit blasé about how special they were. But yesterday, he proved again that when he is in the mood, and has got the sight or the feel for the bowling, he is still the most destructive closer that the game has seen.
“People were questioning his form, but certainly from the finishing point of view I will reiterate we have got a bit blasé because it was happening so often. We benefited from it at Chennai [Super Kings] a lot and people were yearning for a performance like that. And like all great players do, he delivered.”
Dhoni, though, was aware that he was running out of time to reiterate those credentials. “Yes, [he was anxious],” Fleming said. “He was determined. He has been training a lot. He has certainly hit a lot of balls and it was all building up to an innings of substance. He desperately wants us to do well this year. After last year, we all felt that we needed more contributions from everybody. He, in particular, was the one to put his hand up. So he has been wanting to win a game. [Steven] Smith, as well, has been wanting to win a game and our big players want to contribute and one of our biggest did that yesterday which was great.”
A key moment in the chase was when Dhoni came up against Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the 19th. At the time, Sunrisers seamer who had never given more than 10 runs in an over while bowling in the last five. But Dhoni took him for 19.
“The calmness he shows in such situations is one of his greatest assets,” Fleming said. “And yesterday, it was to the fore. We thought that it was probably late and we had not got too much of the total to leave us with a good chase in the end, but he proved that, with the hitting and batting skills and the power that players have these days, no score is impossible and that puts so much pressure on the bowlers. And good bowlers too, Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been bowling very well. It was a good match-up and a good result for us.”
Nagraj Gollapudi is a senior assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo
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Source: ESPN Crickinfo