IPL 2017: Dhoni shows he's still the boss, he's hungry for it
The IPL fever literally rages over the weekend. On Saturday, April 22, it was time to sing lyrics of the popular Bollywood song "Maahi Ve" as MS Dhoni showed he can still be a great finisher. The former India captain’s lusty, last ball spanking off-drive which enabled Rising Pune Supergiant beat Sunrisers Hyderabad was a timely slap for a growing number of critics this year.
Stripped of captaincy and yet not feeling down and out, Dhoni could not have responded in a better manner than the way he did on Saturday. He scored off seasoned and consistent bowlers like Bhuvneshwar Kumar and company. It’s strange, how the Dhoni baiters play it out. There is obviously some disconnect between him and the team owners but the seasoned pro has not let that come in the way of his cricket.
With current Pune skipper Steve Smith and also Ajinkya Rahane rightly backing Dhoni, one of the most successful and durable IPL players showed he loves the challenge when it goes down to the wire. To be sure, there have been several occasions in Dhoni’s career when he has battled criticism. He has been as inert as gold and that has helped him focus on the game, be it as a batsman or standing behind the stumps.
At a time when we are already hearing from "expert voices" what the Indian team composition for the ICC Champions Trophy should be, Dhoni could not have timed it better. Dhoni has never played with specific personal goals, but on Saturday he was hungry to prove himself.
Over the years, we have seen the big players hog the limelight in the IPL. Be it players from home or the overseas imports, there has been focus on the super stars. Chris Gayle, for sure, and Brendon McCullum have been seasoned performers and carry huge weight. Yet, the tournament, now in its 10th year, has been a platform for youngsters to showcase their talent and skill. Some have made it big in international cricket after serving notice in the premier T20 club tournament.
The last fortnight has been no different with Nitish Rana from Delhi turning out to be a big star for Mumbai Indians. It’s a strange story in the IPL how players from Delhi have gone and done well for other franchises, as players and support staff. From Gautam Gambhir to Virender Sehwag and Ashish Nehra to Shikhar Dhawan, Delhi players have been huge hits with other IPL teams.
This time, Nitish Rana has grabbed the chance beautifully. Rana had been in the news during the domestic season for Delhi. Not because he was doing well but when he was dropped by coach KP Bhaskar, all hell broke loose. Rana’s scores were unimpressive and a string of single digit scores saw him being dropped, leading to the typical ugly scenes which have been an integral part of Delhi cricket. However, Rana was backed well by Delhi Ranji captain Gautam Gambhir.
For Nitish Rana to perform well as a Mumbai Indians player is big news. Before the match against Delhi Daredevils on Saturday night, he had topped the charts for hitting the maximum number of sixes (16) with an aggregate of 263 runs in seven matches. Rana is an aggressive left handed batsman who scores lustily when he gets going. He backs it with some useful off-break bowling, which means he would be seen by the national selectors as a player who can be picked in the future. Rana, just 23, has age on his side. Being part of a high profile team like Mumbai Indians, he would have imbibed a lot from Sachin Tendulkar, who sits in the dugout. How he fares in the long IPL season will be watched with interest.
There have been other stellar performers this time. And it has not to do with the superstars but those who need to keep firing. Manish Pande has gained in confidence, even as Sanju Samson, Shikhar Dhawan and Rahul Tripathi have come good. With Gujarat Lions skipper Suresh Raina, a huge performer in previous editions of the IPL, also now finding his touch, there is a lot to look forward to.
The best part is that the younger lot has shown that they soak in the pressure like a sponge.
(Courtesy of Mail Today.)
Also read: Why you must watch IPL 2017 even if you're not a cricket fan