When MS Dhoni’s clever field placement outsmarted Venkatesh Iyer

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) batsman Venkatesh Iyer has recently recalled few incidents when Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni’s clever field placement outfoxed him in the Indian Premier League.

“I was batting and I played a shot and got out at short third man. I turned around and saw ‘The fielder is standing wrong. That is not where a fielder usually stands. He is standing at a wrong position. He should be more to the right. Then I realised ‘Oh’,” said Iyer during an interview.

“I asked Dhoni after the match, ‘Bhaiyya, kyu?’ (Why?) He said the way the ball was leaving my bat; the fielders should be a lot finer. I was like ‘WOW! I never even thought like that. To think so quickly then and there, and to understand the angle – cricket is all about angles – to read it is I think his biggest strength,” Iyer added.

Recollecting another incident about Dhoni’s incredible strategy, Iyer said, “I and one more guy was batting. There were two fielders on the off-side – a short third man and covers. Everything was fine before he just called a fielder and placed it the other side.”

“The very next ball went the exact same way and he was out caught. He could have had some bad luck too but I was wondering ‘Why did it have to be off the very next ball? It could have happened 3-4 deliveries later, right?’ Suddenly it felt ‘Oh man! What a mind this guy has,” the 28-year-old cricketer added.