Watching MS Dhoni, I Also Thought I Should Try Something Different: Vishnu Solanki On His Match-Winning Helicopter Shot

Baroda’s middle-order batsman, Vishnu Solanki is ruled the internet on Wednesday (January 27) when he finished a run-chase in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy with a six. If that didn’t take fans back to the memories of MS Dhoni, the way shot which Solanki chose to do surely would: Helicopter shot.

In the quarter-final against Haryana, Baroda needed 18 off the last over with Solanki the set batsman at 54 from 42. The task was made tougher with just three runs from first three balls. However, as the match looked to slip away from Baroda, Solanki put on his MS Dhoni mask and harrumphed a six, four, and a six completing the chase with a helicopter shot invoking the former India captain’s memories of his good old days.

Vishnu Solanki has revealed that he has practiced this shot a lot specifically for the death overs in T20 cricket. He idolized the Chennai Super Kings skipper and had picked up the helicopter shot having watched the Ranchi batsman play it plenty of times.

“I had learnt this shot especially for the ‘death’ overs because during the last few overs of the innings, a fast bowler generally tries to bowl yorkers. In the last four-five overs, the bowlers go for the yorkers. That is why I learnt this shot. I had been working hard on this shot for the last three-four months in Baroda. I used to see Mahi bhai. I also thought I should try something different. I thought it will be apt for T20 cricket,” Vishnu Solanki told IANS.

“Actually, I practiced a lot and worked very hard for the helicopter shot for the T20 format. Whenever I used to get free time after practice, I would practice this shot in the hope that it would help me in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy,” he added.

This is my natural game: Vishnu Solanki

Vishnu Solanki reckons that playing aggressively is his natural game and he would stick to it even if it means taking more risks. Indeed, the 28-year-old has played his innings with alacrity throughout the tournament.

Despite scoring a duck against Himachal Pradesh and six against Uttarakhand, Vishnu Solanki didn’t change his playing style – he then smashed an unbeaten 33-ball 42 against Chhattisgarh., a 17-ball 28 vs Maharashtra and 33-ball 59 against Gujarat, before his thunderous 46-ball 71 against Haryana.

“This is my natural game. I tried these shots in the league games too. Whenever I batted in the ‘death’ overs of the tournament, I have tried these shots,” the right-hander added.

With his brilliant performance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Solanki will be hoping to bag an IPL contract in the upcoming auction for IPL 2021. Baroda will face Mandeep Singh’s Punjab in the semi-final on Friday.

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