‘Thanks, I’ll bat my own way’- When MS Dhoni ignored Michael Hussey’s advise to tackle Rashid Khan

Michael Hussey, the former Australian cricketer, made a revelation when MS Dhoni didn’t pay heed to his advise of facing Rashid Khan ahead of the 2018 IPL playoffs. In the night before the Qualifier 1 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, Hussey, who was the batting coach for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), bumped into some information from the team’s video analyst.

The veteran revealed the nuances of Rashid, bowling his leg-breaks and the googly. The former Australian cricketer was hesitant to send out the data and he eventually did. However, he didn’t get a reply from Dhoni, the CSK skipper, in the lead up to the match against the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).

You didn’t really hear a reply from MS Dhoni, says Hussey

“When he (Rashid) runs in to bowl, when he bowls his leg-spinner, he holds his finger wide as he’s running in, and when he bowls a wrong ‘un, (he bowls) with fingers like this,” Hussey was quoted as saying on the Lessons Learnt with the Greats podcast.

“MS Dhoni, you didn’t really hear a reply (from), which is generally normal. We come to the game, we’re playing it and we’re in big trouble and MS is in the middle, and while he’s in the middle, we’re still thinking there’s a chance to win this game,” he stated.

When Dhoni came in to bat, CSK needed 116 off 98 balls. The Super Kings’ captain had a torrid time in the middle and managed nine off 18 deliveries. In the end, it was deadly googly from Rashid that got of him. Dhoni went for the cover drive and the ball crashed on to the stumps.

On his way back to the dugout, Dhoni went to Hussey and said that he’d prefer to bat in his own way. “Rashid Khan comes on to bowl, one of the very first balls he (MS Dhoni) faces, goes for the big cover drive – wrong ‘un, bowled through the gate. And I’m thinking ‘Uh, gosh. Okay, no worries.’

“And MS Dhoni walks straight off the field, and I am sitting in the dugout and he walks straight up to me and says ‘I’ll bat my own way, thanks,’ and sits back down,” Hussey added.

Later, Dhoni admitted that the information was correct, but said that he needed time to work the data and practice accordingly. Dhoni’s wicket didn’t cost CSK as they won the match by two wickets courtesy Faf du Plessis’ unbeaten 67. The Yellow Army also went on to lift the trophy beating the SRH itself in the final.