MS Dhoni is known for his calm and composed demeanour on the cricket field, often referred to as ‘Captain Cool,’ for his ability to stay unshaken in the most pressure-filled situations. However, in a rare revelation, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batting coach Michael Hussey shared an intense moment from Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018, when Dhoni lost his cool after getting dismissed in a crucial playoff match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).
Michael Hussey’s dilemma: CSK’s Qualifier 1 match against SRH in IPL 2018
Hussey, who was serving as CSK’s batting coach at the time and still now, recalled the tense moments leading up to the match and how he had received crucial bowling analysis on Rashid Khan’s variations the night before the game.
Speaking on the Backchat podcast, according to Hussey, the CSK analyst had sent him a detailed breakdown of Rashid’s deliveries in the IPL, revealing a pattern in his bowling grip. The analysis indicated that when Rashid bowled his wrong’un, he ran in with his fingers together, whereas when he delivered his leg-spinner, his fingers were apart.
This was valuable information that could have given CSK’s batters an edge against one of the most dangerous spinners in the tournament. However, Hussey found himself in a dilemma, unsure whether to share the data with the team so late into the tournament. He feared that introducing technical information just before a crucial match could cause confusion rather than help the players. After spending hours debating, he ultimately chose to keep the information to himself, opting not to overload the players with last-minute instructions.
“The night before the big game, the analyst sends me through this split screen of Rashid Khan. And it’s basically when he bowls his wrong’uns, he runs in his fingers together and when he bowls his leggy, his fingers are apart. ‘Ooh this is good’. But this is the night before the game though, so I’m sitting on thinking do I send this out to the batters or do I not? I sat looking at it for an hour because you don’t want to put too much stuff guys’ head the night before the game,” said Hussey.
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Dhoni’s fierce response: A rare moment of anger at his coach
Unfortunately, the next day, Dhoni fell victim to Rashid’s wrong’un, exactly as predicted in the analysis. He attempted a cover drive against the spin, completely missing the ball as it crashed into his stumps. CSK were left reeling at 39/4, and a visibly furious Dhoni walked back to the pavilion with disappointment written all over his face.
What followed was a rare and unexpected moment where Dhoni, known for his calmness, let his emotions show. As he entered the dressing room, he glared at Hussey and, in an uncharacteristically sharp tone, made his feelings clear.
According to Hussey, Dhoni looked directly into his eyes and said, “I’ll bat my own f*ing way, thanks!” before sitting down. The Australian coach, who had spent years playing alongside Dhoni before taking up a coaching role, was shocked into silence. He admitted that at that moment, he felt like his coaching career was over, as he sat through the rest of the match feeling like a “stunned mullet.”
“We were like four down for nothing the next day and Dhoni’s in with Faf at the other. Rashid Khan comes in first ball and bowls the wrong’un. Dhoni goes for the cover drive, hitting against the spin, bowled. You got to understand that this guy is a mega star, like bigger than god. He comes in and looks me straight in the eye and he goes, ‘I’ll bat my own f***ing way, thanks’ and sits down next to me. Oh, Coaching career, done!,” Hussey concluded.
Despite Dhoni’s dismissal, CSK managed to pull off a stunning victory. With Faf du Plessis playing a match-winning knock, the team successfully chased down the target in the final over, winning by two wickets and advancing to the final. CSK would go on to face SRH again in the final, where they dominated to clinch their third IPL title.
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