MS Dhoni fans and supporters blew away social media Friday evening when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced India’s Twenty20 International (T20I) squad for the West Indies and Australia series which did not include Dhoni’s name.
Dhoni, who has played 93 off India’ 103 T20Is, was dropped from the side and this didn’t go well with the Indian fans, who by now are not used to watching an Indian limited-overs team without their former skipper.
Although there still is no clarity on whether Dhoni was actually rested or ignored for the next two T20I series, Dhoni blew away everyone’s mind on Saturday with a blinder catch in the third ODI against West Indies in Pune.
Returning bowler, Bumrah bowler a short bouncer to Windies’ Hemraj, who instead of leaving it, tried to play it but ended up getting a top-edge and the ball went high in the air.
While the ball looked to land in a no-man’s land in front of fine leg but India’s former skipper had other ideas. He sprinted towards it and dived full stretch to bag a stunning catch and ensured India’s first wicket in the sixth over.
As soon as umpire confirmed it was a clean catch, the Pune stadium broke into the chants of ‘Dhoni, Dhoni.’
Earlier, Virat Kohli, playing his 214th One-day International (ODI) won the toss and opted to bowl first in the third ODI against West Indies in Maharashtra cricket Association Stadium, Pune on Saturday.
Chasing 322 in the second ODI, the Windies managed to tie the match and which is why it was expected for the Indians to chase in today’s game.
A well-oiled India hammered the Windies in the series-opener in Guwahati by eight wickets, but the gritty visitors indeed, made a statement of sorts in Visakhapatnam, by denying the hosts a victory and a chance to go 2-0 ahead in the five-match rubber.
Kohli went berserk in Vizag, yet again, as his 37th ODI hundred helped India post a total of 321 runs in 50 overs. However, a mediocre show from the Indian bowlers allowed the Windies to tie the match, which always looked in India’s favour until the likes of Shai Hope and Hetymer took the charge.
The absence of Bhuvneshwar and Bumrah saw Indian bowling unit being clobbered for 320 plus runs in both games and which is why they have decided to bring the two for the third game in Pune.
With more variations in their repertoire in white ball cricket compared to the profilgate Umesh Yadav and an inconsistent Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar and Bumrah are expected to make a significant difference, especially in the first Powerplay and the death overs.
Playing XI:
India: Virat Kohli ( c ) Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni(w), Rishabh Pant, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, K Khaleel Ahmed, Yuzvendra Chahal
West Indies: Jason Holder ( c ), Kieran Powell, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Shai Hope(w), Marlon Samuels, Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Fabian Allen, Ashley Nurse, Kemar Roach, Obed McCoy
