Watch: Rolling back the years – MS Dhoni launches last-over six and four after self-demotion to No.8
Watch: MS Dhoni, batting at No.8 in Chennai Super Kings’ opening game in the 2023 IPL against Gujarat Titans today (March 31) smashed a six and a four in the last over to finish off the innings for his team in style.
Dhoni has not been in the best batting form in the IPL since the start of 2020, scoring 546 runs at an average of 24.81 with a strike rate of 116.91. Though he has played several handy cameos for his team in this period, he has not been at his lethal best consistently. He also has limited match practice, having last played a professional game before Friday in May 2022.
The 41-year-old held himself back at Ahmedabad, leaving the fans waiting for 17.4 overs before he walked out to bat at No.8 against Gujarat Titans after his team had collapsed from 121-3 to 153-6. He scored three runs in the first three balls that he faced, but ended on a high, smashing a six and a four in successive deliveries in the last over of the innings.
A feared finisher in his heyday, Dhoni first dispatched a back of a length delivery by Josh Little over deep square, which was enough to bring the roof down. “The house has come down here with that six,” said Ravi Shastri on commentary. “They’re so used to seeing sixes from Dhoni and this 100,000-plus will say they’ve got their money’s worth with this one shot. This is a paisa wasool (money’s worth) shot.”
The fans had more reason to celebrate as he scored a four off the next ball, to eventually remain not out on 14 off just seven balls.
Chennai finished their innings on 178-7, courtesy of a sublime knock of 92 by opener Ruturaj Gaikwad.
