MS Dhoni’s mastery behind the stumps remains as sharp as ever, even at 43. The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) icon recently showcased his lightning-fast reflexes in the IPL 2025 opener against Mumbai Indians (MI). It was a moment that sent ripples through the cricketing world—a stumping executed with surgical precision that left MI captain Suryakumar Yadav stunned.
Stepping out to face Noor Ahmad, Suryakumar missed the delivery, and Dhoni, in a flash, whipped off the bails in just 0.12 seconds. The swiftness of the dismissal was a reminder of why Dhoni is still revered as one of the best wicketkeepers in the game. Before this high-octane encounter at Chepauk, Dhoni was asked about his famous one-handed diving catch against Gujarat Titans in the previous season.
While fans and pundits lauded his athleticism, Dhoni downplayed the moment, calling it a “fluke.” Reflecting on his approach to wicketkeeping, the five-time IPL champion explained that he favours a simple, effective style over extravagant, flashy attempts.
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“If you closely monitor it, it feels like a sack of rice falling off a truck,” MS Dhoni joked during his interview with JioHotstar. “I’ve always been a fan of using both hands to take catches. It’s safer, more reliable, and it works for me. I’m not someone who tries to pull off those dramatic one-handed grabs. I’m a safe keeper, and I like to keep it that way.”
MS Dhoni, known for his safe wicketkeeping, called his one-handed catch from last year a “fluke.” Speaking on JioHotstar’s MS Dhoni Experience, he joked that his dive looked like a “rice sack falling from a truck.” The 43-year-old stunned fans again on March 23 with a… pic.twitter.com/SoDGIESkg2
— The CSR Journal (@thecsrjournal) March 24, 2025
MS Dhoni’s candid take on his craft extends to his understanding of the game. He believes that wicketkeeping has been his vantage point, allowing him to read the game better than most.
“If I’m not wicketkeeping, I feel useless on the field. It’s where I read the game best—the angles, the bowler’s rhythm, the pitch behavior. From behind the stumps, I can tell if a delivery smashed for a six was genuinely a poor ball or just a quality shot by the batter,” he shared.
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Chepauk Stadium roared for its “Thala” when Dhoni stepped onto the field after Ravindra Jadeja’s run-out near the end of the match. Though he faced two dot balls, the chase concluded with Rachin Ravindra smashing a six, securing a memorable win for CSK. The enduring magic of Dhoni remains a sight to behold, proving that age is just a number when passion and skill are at their peak.
