MS Dhoni Reveals Why He Doesn't Keep Wickets in the Nets

Former Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni in an interview revealed that it is the unorthodox style of wicket-keeping which makes him effective behind the stumps in world cricket. Dhoni is known to be a street-smart cricketer and relies on his subtle instincts to come up with the goods. He boasts of a solid technique neither as a batsman nor as a wicket-keeper, but the way he understands the game mentally makes him a special player and way above the rest of his contemporaries

Dhoni who is all set to don the yellow jersey yet again in the upcoming India Premier League also revealed that he has rarely kept wickets in the nest during practice sessions. His unorthodox style of wicket-keeping has evoked a lot of discussion over the years. However, despite his technical flaws, he is regarded as one of the best wicket-keepers going around.

He is the 3^rd most successful keeper in international cricket just behind legends Mark Boucher and Adam Gilchrist with 768 international dismissals to his name. Boucher and Gilchrist, on the other hand, has affected 998 and 905 dismissals respectively. However, when it comes to stumpings, he is way ahead in the list with 172 stumpings in international cricket which are 33 more than his nearest rival Kumar Sangakkara who has also hung up his boots from international cricket.

“I think it’s because of my unorthodox keeping style. Stephen Fleming (CSK coach) always says that he has never seen me keep wickets in net sessions in his nine years of IPL coaching. I think a lot of it needs to be done in the mind,” Dhoni was quoted as saying by the New Indian Express.

“Keepers don’t really need a lot of catching. I have seen over-exaggeration from some keepers; they start going on the floor, ‘very frog style’ of keeping and ‘jaw is parallel to the floor’… what is a keeper supposed to do? You can drop 100 balls, but whenever there is a catch you take it and whenever there is a stumping opportunity, you take it. That’s what’s needed,” he further added.

“You don’t want a very good keeper who is not consistent. You want a very bad keeper who keeps fumbling, but takes catches, effects stumping and helps captain set the right field.”

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