Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis recalled a chat with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper MS Dhoni about how he manages to finish games under pressure.
MS Dhoni has arguably been one of the best finishers in the history of the game of cricket including the Indian Premier League (IPL). The wicketkeeper batter has many times won the match for his side in crunch situations with his ability to finish off the games.
The wicketkeeper-batter has so far scored 4746 runs in 193 matches at a strike rate of over 130 in the marquee tournament. Apart from this he also has been one of the best captains in the history of the IPL. Dhoni has led CSK to four titles and he’s one of the main reasons behind them being the most consistent team in the tournament.
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In an interaction with veteran journalist Boria Majumdar on Backstage with Boria, Marcus Stoinis said that he spoke to MS Dhoni after Qualifier 1 of IPL 2021, where he single-handedly won the match for CSK. He recalled that the wicketkeeper batter told him about his daily routine and other things.
“I spoke to Dhoni a lot about it after one of our games where he actually beat Delhi [Capitals] nearly singlehandedly in one of the semi-finals. He spoke to me about the routine he goes through. How he sees the game, how he controls his breath, how he manages his emotions. So, there’s a lot that goes into it,” Marcus Stoinis said.
Stoinis said that Dhoni told him to approach the game with the responsibility of being there at the end. He remarked that the wicketkeeper batter also told him that one builds a relationship with his team and the people batting around him.
“He just sort of said to me, ‘The way you got to approach it is looking to be there at the end and take responsibility. There are different ways to do it [including] trying to score the runs early and finish the game in the 18th over’. But the risk that he feels [in that method] is that you leave it to someone else if you get out. And he said that you build that relationship with your team and the people batting around you,” he said.
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Marcus Stoinis further said that when MS Dhoni is on the ground everyone is thinking that game is not over as he’s in control and has some plan. He added that CSK’s skipper also spoke to him about how to remain calm.
“And you can speak almost that this isn’t just from him, the whole crowd, the opposition, everyone is thinking when Dhoni’s at the ground, ‘this game is not over’, or that he’s in control or that somehow this is going to plan even though it might not me. You need 20 off the last over and you think ‘maybe he meant this’.
“I think that’s the part of the art he’s produced that he can have that influence over a big amount of people. And then he spoke about how to remain calm. He doesn’t need to be ‘calmer’ or ‘better’ but in a situation where other people are panicking, he’s just staying where he is and getting that advantage,” he said.
Notably, Marcus Stoinis will play for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the IPL 2022. He was picked ahead of the auction by the franchise along with Ravi Bishnoi and KL Rahul, who will captain the side in upcoming IPL edition.
(Backstage with Boria inputs)
