MS Dhoni reminded us of the six he hit in the final of ICC World Cup 2011 at Wankhede during the practice session ahead of India vs New Zealand 1st ODI at the same venue. Dhoni’s finishing shot off Nuwan Kulasekara is imprinted in almost every Indian’s memory. Former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar even said, “When I die, the last thing I want to see is the six that Dhoni hit in the 2011 World Cup final”. Dhoni will be trying to perfect the role of a finisher, preparing for the upcoming ICC World Cup 2019.
Dhoni came down the crease in the practice session and hit the ball over long and thereby treating his fans with his trademark shot. The caption of the video reads, “When @msdhoni hits a big one at the Wankhede Stadium, it invariably takes us back to that famous six in 2011.” Here’s the video BCCI posted of Dhoni playing the big hit –
When @msdhoni hits a big one at the Wankhede Stadium, it invariably takes us back to that famous six in 2011. pic.twitter.com/UGZkvpHWJJ
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 20, 2017
The wicketkeeper/batsman’s role in the side is crucial. If he is in form then Virat Kohli would not have to worry about what team combination to select. Though several former cricketers have said that Dhoni should bat up the order as it will give him much time in the middle to capitalise. Dhoni might be perfect for the No 4 position where Kohli and Team India management has been experimenting with Kedar Jadhav, Manish Pandey, KL Rahul and all-rounder Hardik Pandya.
Here’s the video of Dhoni hitting a six and finishing the game at Wankhede –
The Wankhede pitch is known for being a batting paradise. We might get to see a high-scoring affair in the New Zealand series opener on October 21. India are riding high, having won 6 bilateral ODI series on the trot. They will be looking to add another one to the tally with a series win in the India vs New Zealand three-match ODI series.
