MS Dhoni’s sharp cricketing mind once again left a lasting impression, this time on Kolkata Knight Riders’ batter Venkatesh Iyer during an IPL 2023 clash against Chennai Super Kings at Chepauk. Despite KKR securing a six-wicket victory, Iyer was left scratching his head over the former CSK captain’s masterful tactics that orchestrated his dismissal.
The moment unfolded when Iyer walked in at No. 3 after KKR lost an early wicket. He looked promising, striking a couple of boundaries in Deepak Chahar’s third over. Sensing an opportunity, Dhoni immediately adjusted the field, moving Ravindra Jadeja from deep square leg to a slightly unconventional short third position. The very next delivery, Iyer played a shot straight to Jadeja, falling for just nine runs.
“Dhoni took out a fielder from deep square leg and placed him at short third, slightly away from the usual spot. The (very) next ball, I hit straight into short third’s hands,” Venkatesh Iyer recalled in a chat with ESPNCricinfo.
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Iyer was stunned by Dhoni’s intuitive understanding of angles and proactive captaincy. After the match, he approached Dhoni to understand the thought process behind the move, only to be left further in awe.
“He was trying to gauge the impact of the ball off my bat, reading the angles. His ability to anticipate where my shot would go was just incredible. That’s what proactive captaincy is—understanding the batter’s intent before he even executes the shot,” Venkatesh Iyer said.
Laughing at his own misjudgment, Iyer admitted, “I could have waited a couple of balls, but no—the very next ball, I hit it exactly there. The cameras even captured how the field changed just before my dismissal. That’s Dhoni’s genius.”
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Recognizing Iyer’s potential, KKR retained him in the IPL 2025 mega auction for a staggering ₹23.75 crore, making him the fourth most expensive player in league history. While Iyer has much to prove, one thing is certain—he won’t forget the lesson in tactical brilliance from one of cricket’s greatest minds.
