New Delhi:
It is now officially confirmed without a shadow of doubt! MS Dhoni is a freak of nature. He can read the batsmen’s mind, tell the bowler what to do exactly and effect lightning quick stumpings which are a modern marvel. His game awareness was simply sublime in the Napier ODI thanks to the way how he advised Kuldeep Yadav to get rid of Trent Boult while his stumping off Ross Taylor in the second ODI at Bay Oval was divine. After missing the next two games in Bay Oval and Hamilton due to a hamstring injury, Dhoni returned for the Wellington ODI where he pulled off yet another astonishing feat of keeping.
Ambati Rayudu’s brilliant 90 and Hardik Pandya’s blitz of 45 off 22 balls helped India reach 252 all out. In response, New Zealand lost wickets at regular intervals but they were boosted by a blazing knock from James Neesham. The left-hander struck boundaries at regular intervals and was nearing a fifty. He struck two boundaries off Mohammed Shami and he launched Bhuvneshwar Kumar for a boundary and a six over deep midwicket. However, the game changed decisively in the 37th over bowled by Kedar Jadhav.
In the second ball of the over, Jadhav slanted in a flatter delivery on off stump and Neesham looked to defend. The ball took the inside edge onto the thigh pad but Dhoni and Jadhav appealed for the LBW. Umpire Shaun George shook his head but Neesham did not know where the ball had gone. The left-hander attempted a run as Dhoni continued to appeal looking at the umpire. However, the former India captain realised that Neesham was out of his crease and fired a throw at the striker’s end to catch Neesham well short of the crease.
Whatta man #MSDhoni Fireworks 🔥🔥🔥🔥Mindgame appeal for lbw then that massive run out !!😎#NZvIND #5thODI #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/7A1S3vW9vX
— 🎆 Logesh 🔥 (@stLogesh) February 3, 2019
Dhoni celebrated passionately, knowing that the dangerman was gone. The third umpire gave the marching orders for Neesham and India had regained the advantage. If there was one moment which turned the match, it was the run-out by Dhoni and Rohit Sharma will have to thank him as India won the five-match series 4-1 against New Zealand.
