After beating Jos Buttler-led English side in the first game, India is squaring off against the mighty Aussies today. The match is being held at ICC Cricket Academy and has a new-look India playing under Rohit Sharma. Virat Kohli (the batsman), Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, and Rishab Pant; all have been rested today.
What that implies is that a new-look Indian side was fielded today. Ravichandran Ashwin was given the new ball and his cunning display triggered a mini-collapse which saw the Aussies reeling at 3 for 12 at the four-over mark. But that wasn’t the only thing noteworthy about the match. There was something else too. Read on.
MS Dhoni gives important wicket-keeping lessons to Rishabh Pant
As the play resumed after the four-over mark, MS Dhoni was seen training Rishab Pant around the boundary line. For those who don’t know, MS Dhoni has been appointed as India’s mentor for the 2021 T20 World Cup. Rishab Pant openly admits that MS Dhoni was the one who inspired him to become a wicket-keeping batsman. Well, why would it be anyone else? MS is the greatest wicket-keeper batsman in India’s cricketing history, after all.
So, when a rubber stump was planted in the turf outside the playing field and Dhoni started talking, Rishabh was listening keenly. The wicket-keeping drill saw MS Dhoni give Rishab Pant some catching practice. One throw at the rubber-stump was followed by another, and then another. Behind it stood Rishab, trying to gather all the throws after they would deflect off it. Watch the full video below-
Rishabh did fairly well. But a couple of times, he failed to gather the ball cleanly. At this, MS Dhoni would come to up him and talk some sense into his hyperactive brain. Perhaps ask him to focus to the best of his abilities. The wicket-keeping lesson also included MS trying to gesture Rishabh on how he can catch the ball better.
— Cricket fan (@Cricketfan093) October 20, 2021
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The significance of Dhoni’s wicket-keeping lessons
The mid-match wicket-keeping-class ran for quite a bit of time before Pant and MSD walked off the boundary ropes, back to the dug-out. There too, the cameras caught them talking on and off. It is understandable. For India to win the World Cup, Rishab Pant has to do well with the bat. More so with the gloves.
A split-second’s loss of focus, a single missed catch, or a solitary failed stumping can see India’s hopes of winning the 2021 T20 World Cup shattered. MS Dhoni has avoided all such failures for over a decade. He’s even converted half-chances into match-turning dismissals. There’s no one better to guide an incumbent wicket-keeper. MS Dhoni is the perfect guide.