'Anything is always possible' - Dwaine Pretorius reveals key learning from MS Dhoni

Proteas all-rounder Dwaine Pretorius was one of the new additions to the Chennai Super Kings squad in the IPL 2022 as the franchise roped him at his base price of INR 50 lakh. While the team had a dismal run this season, they curated some fine players, and one of them was Pretorius as the all-rounder showcased some fine abilities in the six games he played.

In the league game against Mumbai Indians, Pretorius assisted MS Dhoni on the field while chasing and played some composed shots. His partnership with the skipper helped the side cover some runs during the death overs as the latter finished off the game in the final over to grab a victory.

The all-rounder is a part of the South African side for the upcoming five-match T20I series against India as both the teams are currently in Delhi, preparing for their first fixture. During a press conference on Monday, June 6, ahead of the game, Pretorius was asked about his learnings from the cash-rich event.

“Playing my first IPL was a great experience. It was one of my bucket list items and that too to get the opportunity to play for CSK, one of the most successful franchises. I enjoyed every moment of it. You get a lot of responsibility as a player. I really enjoyed playing under Dhoni as well and batting with him, seeing the brand value he has in India just shows how big he is and what he has done for the sport in this country,” he said.

The biggest thing I learned from Dhoni is how calm he is at the crease: Pretorius

The 33-year-old batted alongside Dhoni four times in his six games, of which the most remarkable one was against Mumbai Indians as the duo stitched up a 33-run partnership in 21 balls for the seventh wicket before Pretorius was dismissed. However, he carried a lot of insights from the game while batting with one of the finest cricketers.

“The biggest thing I learned from him (Dhoni) is how calm he is at the crease, and how much he tries to take pressure off himself and put it onto the bowler. He made me realize that, at the death, the batter isn’t under more pressure. It’s actually the bowler who is under more pressure. You can still lose the match if you have to defend 18 off the last three balls, and as a batter, you can actually win it. It was a fresh mindset,” he added.

“He doesn’t get too excited. He doesn’t get too down on himself. Anything is always possible. He’s very optimistic. He believes he can do anything. I’m going to try and bring that into my game – the calmness but also the self-belief that, from any position, any game can be won,” he added.