5 best stumpings of MS Dhoni

The man has earned plaudits overs the years for his blistering batting and brilliant captaincy. But one important aspect of the man almost remained masqueraded. It is his wicket keeping that doesn’t get mentioned quite often but it has contributed to a great extent to India’s success over the years.

MS Dhoni is someone who is known to possess the fastest gloves behind the stumps. He can stump the batsman in lightning-fast speed and he is a cunning customer too. He showed glimpses of his exemplary stumping skills when he stumped Bangladesh batsman Shabbir Rehman in the game between India and Bangladesh in the ICC T20 World Cup 2016.

Shabbir missed a ball down the leg and Dhoni was quick to collect the ball. But what followed was an impeccable presence of mind from the Indian skipper. He deliberately waited before he took the bails off as Shabbir lost balance and his foot was in the air.

That was precision at its very best. The wicket was very crucial for India at that stage and it was the keeper Dhoni who brought India back into the game.

There are several other instances also when MS Dhoni showed how quick and smart he is while catching a batsman off-guard. Let’s look at 5 best stumpings of MS Dhoni:

1. Jonathan Trott and Ian Bell in the ICC Champions’ Trophy Final, 2013

India put up a meagre total of 130 on the board in the rain-curtailed the ICC Champions’ Trophy Final, 2013 in Edgbaston. England chasing started their proceedings well. However, it was the introduction of spin that turned the game on its head.

First, it was England batsman Jonathan Trott who got stumped down the leg side by Indian skipper MS Dhoni. He was quick to grab the ball and took those bells off in a flash.

Then MS Dhoni accounted for England’s best batsman Ian Bell when he caught him off-guard. For a moment, Bell was not in balance and Dhoni needed that spilt-second to take the bells off. It was a crucial dismissal as Bell could easily have won the game for England. India went on to lift the ICC Champions’ Trophy that year.

They should really thank their skipper’s gloves for that.

2. Glenn Maxwell in the T20 Series in Australia in 2016

MS Dhoni celebrates after getting rid of the dangerous Glenn Maxwell

In the second T20I between India and Australia in the bilateral T20 Series between the two countries, India put up a total of 184 on the board batting first. However, considering the batting conditions on offer, the total didn’t look that intimidating. A Glenn Maxwell show could have ended the match in a hurry.

However, Indian skipper had other ideas. He brought Yuvraj in and effected a magnificent stumping to get rid of the dangerous Maxwell. Maxwell missed the ball and he was down the track when Dhoni wasting no time whatsoever took the bells off in an exhilarating manner. Dhoni was brilliant with the gloves that day as he accounted for 4 dismissals that day as India won the game by 27 runs.

3. Tilekaratne Dilshan in the second T20I in the India-Sri Lanka bilateral T20I series in 2016

MS Dhoni takes the bells off in a lightning-fast speed

Sri Lanka’s batting nowadays rely a lot upon the experience of Dilshan at the top of the order. In the recent bilateral T20I series between India and Sri Lanka, MS Dhoni foxed the old wily Dilshan with his tremendous stumping skills. In the second T20I, Dilshan missed a ball from Ashwin and had no chance to get back as Dhoni already had taken the bells off. It was a huge blow for Sri Lanka as they lost Dilshan in the very first over and they never really recovered from the blow.

4. Jacob Oram in the first ODI in the India-New Zealand bilateral ODI series in 2009

An ecstatic MS Dhoni celebrates after a wicket

It was the first ODI between New Zealand and India in Napier in March, 2009. The rain interrupted match was reduced to 38 overs a side. India scored 273 for 4 batting first. MS Dhoni starred with the batting too in that match by top scoring for the team with 84 runs off 89 deliveries.

However he showed his impeccable sense of timing and astute presence of mind while getting rid of New Zealand all-rounder Jacob Oram. Jacob Oram clearly edged a ball which Dhoni caught but to ensure the dismissal he also quickly stumped Oram out as he was out of his ground playing the stroke. It was quick thinking and smart execution by the Indian skipper which earned many praises.

5. Mitchell Marsh in the second T20I in the India-Australia bilateral T20 series in 2012

MS Dhoni appeals for a stumping in a quintessential manner

India’s tour to down under in 2012 was a disastrous one as India faced the humiliation of a 4-0 whitewash in Tests and in the subsequent ODI series they failed to qualify for the final.

Their only respite in that tour came when India managed to beat Australia in the second T20I. Dhoni was instrumental with his keeping as he accounted for 5 dismissals in the Australian innings as Australia folded for a meagre 131 all out. Dhoni recorded one of the fastest stumpings ever when stumped Australia’s Mitchell Marsh off a delivery by Rahul Sharma. Rahul Sharma, the leggie, used to bowl it quick and he deceived Marsh with his pace. Dhoni did the rest as he took the bells off in lightning-fast speed.