'Tune hundred percent try kiya' - Rahul Tripathi on how MS Dhoni motivated him during dismal IPL 2021 final outing

MS Dhoni is known for his sharp cricketing brain which made him one of the best as well as successful captains in world cricket. Apart from this unique quality, Dhoni is also known to back the struggling players by offering some valuable pieces of advice when nothing is going right for them. Now, another player who has played with the legendary skipper earlier has come forward and revealed how the latter had motivated him after being dismissed in the IPL 2021 final.

The player who has given a special mention to Mahendra Singh Dhoni is Rahul Tripathi. Tripathi had come out to bat at number eight for KKR during the final against CSK due to a hamstring injury. Sadly, his stay at the crease did not last for too long as he was dismissed for just two runs to his name. That is when the veteran stumper patted on the promising batter’s back and said that he tried his level best but, it was not his day.

Mahi Bhai tapped on my back during the IPL 2021 final: Rahul Tripathi

“I had a hamstring injury and therefore, I came in lower down the order. I couldn’t score runs, I was really struggling to run between the wickets. After I got out, Mahi Bhai tapped on my back and said: ‘Koi nahi, aaj tumhara day nahi tha, But tune hundred percent try kiya’. I was feeling very down since we lost the final, but Mahi bhai came after the game also and spoke to me for a minute or so,” said Tripathi while speaking to News18.

The Ranchi-born cricketer had first burst onto the scene in the IPL during the 2017 edition having represented the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant and reportedly sharing the dressing room with Dhoni. He then played for the 2008 winners Rajasthan Royals for the new two seasons before being roped in by the Kolkata Knight Riders at the IPL 2020 mega auction. The 30-year-old was not in the two-time winners’ scheme of things and was released by them on November 30, 2021.

Rahul Tripathi has been bought by the 2016 champions Sunrisers Hyderabad at the recently-concluded IPL 2022 mega auction for a sum of INR 8.50 crore.