MS Dhoni was faster than pickpockets at times: Ravi Shastri

Ravi Shastri, India’s head coach, has lauded MS Dhoni as ‘second to none’ after the latter retired from international cricket on Saturday, August 15. The now 39-year-old neither called for a farewell game nor did he call a press conference to announce his retirement. Rather, the Ranchi boy uploaded a video on Instagram, showing the ups and downs of his career, to call it a day.

Shastri, who is with Team India in the coaching role since 2017, said that it was his ability to effect run-outs and stumpings that stood out from the rest of his potential. At the highest level, the Jharkhand-born Dhoni holds the record of most stumpings (195), which is 56 more than Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara, who’s placed second in the list.

Shastri was so much in awe of Dhoni’s fast glove work that he said that the keeper acted faster than pickpockets at times. Apart from stumpings, Dhoni also managed 634 catches, his tally totaling to a jaw-dropping 829.

Shastri heaps praises on MS Dhoni

“This man is second to none. And coming from where he did he changed cricket for all times to come. And his beauty is he did it in all formats. For me what stood out was his stumpings and his run outs. He had such fast hands that he was at times faster than any pickpocket,” Shastri was quoted as saying to India Today.

In order to highlight Dhoni’s laurels, Shastri said how the former Indian cricketer took his team to glory in all the limited-overs ICC tournaments.

“T20 – he has won a World Cup and multiple IPL titles. 50 overs – he has won a World Cup. Test cricket- he has taken India to the number one position in the world. Played 90 Test matches,” Shastri mentioned.

“And he always took life as it came. From his days in Kharagpur to his days as an Indian cricketer he was always in the moment. And in retirement also he has moved on. As I said he is second to none,” Shastri added.

Though he won’t be donning the India colours anymore, Dhoni will be plying his trade for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the 2020 Indian Premier League (IPL), starting September 19 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).