Mahendra Singh Dhoni has long retired from international cricket. The legendary wicketkeeper batter hung his cricketing boots in 2020. But before that, Dhoni established an image for himself while playing for India for almost two decades. While some fondly remember Dhoni as the finishers, some like to call him the ice-cool captain. However, apart from finishing games and leading his team to uncountable wins, Dhoni also invented his own style of wicketkeeping.
The Ranchi-born cricketer never had a conventional way of doing things from behind the wicket. Dhoni always had his own style whether it was stumping, running a batter out, or taking a catch. But what was common in everything was his sharp brain. There are enormous proofs on the internet that show how Dhoni outsmarted his opponents from behind the wicket.
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Now, with Dhoni retired, many young wicketkeepers try to emulate what the former India captain used to do behind the stumps. England’s wicketkeeper batter Sam Billings is one of Dhoni's vivid followers. The young wicketkeeper proved it by pulling off a Dhoni-Esque dismissal during an International League T20 match.
In a match between Sharjah Warriors and Desert Vipers, Billings outsmarted the Warriors' batter Joe Denly. In the 10th over of Sharjah innings, Denly defended a ball on the front foot and the ball lobbed to the right of Billings. The Vipers’ wicketkeeper leaped to his right and threw the ball back onto the stumps while completing the dive. Denly, meanwhile, was left bamboozled as he found himself way out of the popping crease.
Watch the video here:
Apart from pulling off this cheeky dismissal, Billings also chipped in with a 23-ball 27 on a tricky pitch. Eventually, Desert Vipers beat Sharjah Warriors by 22 runs to bring their sixth win in eight games.