1:30 am, May 30, Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad: MS Dhoni has just witnessed Ambati Rayudu shine in his farewell IPL match. Rayudu’s brilliant cameo has lowered the equation to 23 runs from 15 balls.
Dhoni decides to put on his helmet and go out to the centre, knowing that this has always been his favorite environment. There is no feeling. This is what Dhoni has done his entire life, and this is what he must do to bring his beloved Chennai Super Kings a fifth IPL title.
Ahmedabad is thrown into chaos the instant he goes onto the pitch. The spotlights are turned on, the commotion has reached manic proportions, and then….there is a weird silence.
MS Dhoni stands guard, practices a few strokes as a gladiator would before combat, and assesses the severity of the situation. Mohit Sharma, the bowler up against him, was once a trusted lieutenant for both the franchise and India.
But he now has to outsmart him. Mohit had just beaten his old captain a week before. But this is different. MS Dhoni and CSK have an unfinished business, especially after what transpired last year.
MS Dhoni gets out for a duck in IPL 2023 Final
Mohit goes up, delivers the ball full length, and Dhoni rocks onto the front foot in his trademark style. The veteran brings his wrists into play and hits at it. Hard. The only issue is that he lofts it right to David Miller at extra cover.
Thousands of people who had come from Chennai and other parts of this magnificent planet have been left speechless. Thala is out on the opening ball after failing to trouble the opposition.
CSK’s fate hangs in the balance from that point forward….
When the CSK captain is dismissed, there is a deafening stillness in the stadium. There are about 100,000 people in there, packed the ground to the rafters, but you could hear a pin drop.
Some are sceptical. Some dissatisfied. Most are aware that this may be the final time they see Dhoni in the IPL. Almost all of them came for dream-like finish.
MS Dhoni would step out, smash a few of sixes, and CSK would win in a canter. Even in their wildest fantasies, none of them could have predicted that the CSK captain would go out for a duck and leave the team’s fate to chance.
Let us not forget that this is an international career that began with a run-out and finished with an even more heartbreaking rendition. It is also a T20 trip that started with a duck and perhaps concluded with a duck. Oh, and his final appearance for India and CSK come after the game moved to a reserve day.
It is almost as though he is fate’s favoured kid, enticing fate to keep things circular.
MS Dhoni, contrary to popular belief, is a human being. And he is prone to making mistakes. But few have embraced it as thoroughly as the experienced wicket-keeper throughout the years. He can make a mistake. No worries. Learn from it. Do not be too concerned about it.
It is not the spectacular closing acts he is been producing for years. Or the sixes that drive fans in the stands into a frenzy. It might not even be the trophies to which he leads his team to. It is about how he can be so flawed while yet being so flawless. It’s a life lesson to everyone that being imperfect is acceptable and that in aiming for perfection, do not lose sight of what is there in front of you.
Everyone sees a mirror of themselves in him, while deep down knowing that no one can ever be quite like him.
He could not end it in style, like he has so many times for India and CSK. That can not define him. MS Dhoni has never been concerned with how his career, sojourns, and escapades began and ended. It is about the voyage and everything that occurred along the way. It has always been like way.
