IPL 2021: Avesh Khan reveals how he and Rishabh Pant planned to get MS Dhoni out

Avesh Khan, the Madhya Pradesh fast bowler, who recently got selected in the Indian Test squad as a standby player, revealed his experience of dismissing MS Dhoni during the Indian Premier League 2021. The 24-year-old pacer revealed how his Delhi Capitals’ skipper Rishabh Pant helped him to get the wicket of the former Indian captain. 

The incident happened in the first match of the season for the Delhi Capitals. Avesh Khan was selected ahead of the senior bowler, Umesh Yadav to play. He delivered two wickets, one of which was of Dhoni. Khan had also revealed after dismissing Dhoni that three years ago, in 2018 he had almost got his wicket but his teammate dropped the catch denying him. 

Avesh Khan, who was part of the U19 Indian team during the 2016 Junior World Cup, reunited with his teammate, Rishabh Pant from that tournament. Khan said that Pant told him that Dhoni will try and go hard at him. Khan described how the whole incident folded up after he bowled the ball. 

Avesh Khan reveals that he and Rishabh Pant developed signs to communicate on the field

“Only a few overs were left and Pant knew that Dhoni will try to hit out. But he also knew that Dhoni is playing after a gap of four months and it won’t be easy for him. Pant told me to bowl just short of a length. I did just that, Dhoni tried to hit, but got an inside edge and was bowled,” Khan told The Indian Express.

Avesh Khan put up an impressive show during the IPL 2021. He played eight matches, picking up 14 wickets. This was the first season when he got an extended run and played a few matches on the trot. His bowling average was 16.50 while his economy was 7.70. He revealed how Pant and him built a co-ordination to plan and fox the batsmen. 

“When I was about to start my bowling run-up, I used to look at Pant. At that moment the batsman is watching only me, and not anyone else. So if Pant wants me to bowl a yorker, we have a sign for it. If he wants me to bowl wide outside off, I will know by his sign,” he added.

Khan has been named alongside the 20 members as one of the four standby players of the Indian Test squad which will travel to England for the ICC World Test Championship final and five subsequent Tests against England. 

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