MS Dhoni - Rajvardhan Hangargekar
Photo Credit: (Twitter / CSK)

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) throwdown specialist Kondappa Raj Palani opened up on the first time he had the chance to meet the skipper, MS Dhoni.

Dhoni had just retired from international cricket and had set his eyes on the IPL only when CSK’s camp began. Palani was asked to be a part of the group and he had the chance of bowling to the legendary cricketer himself.

MS Dhoni
MS Dhoni. Image: BCCI/IPL

The first time, the camp started when Dhoni retired. I saw him for the first time then. He asked if you were the throwers. He asked me to throw balls at him. The team was pleased after that. The net bowlers were speaking about his retirement. After two or three weeks, he came to play sidearm. Everybody was arriving.

“Stop looking at me and bowl” – What MS Dhoni said to Palani

Palani was expectedly nervous bowling to Dhoni which led to a couple of awry deliveries. He followed it up with a full toss which led to Dhoni walking down the track and asking Palani to play his natural game.

Fleming, Hussey, and everyone said Dhoni was coming and asked me to bowl carefully. The first two balls were wides. The next ball was a full toss. Dhoni came to me and said ‘Stop looking at me and bowl’.

MS Dhoni
MS Dhoni (Image Credits: Twitter)

He asked me to play naturally. I then started bowling wherever he wanted and then he was very happy. He started addressing me every day since with my name,” he further mentioned.

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CSK’s IPL 2022 campaign was quite a failure and they finished the season in 9th place, only ahead of 5-time champions Mumbai Indians.

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