CSK crowd cheered for Jadeja run-out. I messaged dad saying...: MS Dhoni fandom leaves England star gobsmacked
Such was Jamie Overton's experience that he texted his father, inviting him to Chennai, only to make him see MS Dhoni's fandom.
England all-rounder Jamie Overton made his debut in the Indian Premier League (IPL) this season, donning the Chennai Super Kings jersey in the game against the Rajasthan Royals last month. But more than the experience of playing in this part of the world and being part of the most competitive T20 tournament in the world, the MS Dhoni phenomenon left him gobsmacked. Such was his experience that he texted his father, inviting him to Chennai, only to make him experience the India legend's fandom.
Speaking to ESPNCricinfo, Overton said that he had sent a message to his father and his agent after his first home game at the Chepauk this season, after a first-hand experience of seeing how the Chennai crowd reacted to Dhoni walking out to bat after Ravindra Jadeja's dismissal. What left him in disbelief was that the spectators rather cheered for Jadeja's run-out just so that they could get a glimpse of the 43-year-old in action.
I messaged my dad and my agent after the first home game. I was like, 'You have to come out and experience MS walking out to the middle. [Ravindra] Jadeja got run-out and you had a home crowd cheering for someone to get run-out. I've watched Premier League games, plenty of other sports events, and there's nothing else like that noise," Overton said.
Jadeja had himself admitted the same two years back when asked if he would like to bat higher up the order. "I keep hearing Mahi bhai's chants. If I bat higher, then the crowd will wait for me to get out. As long as the team wins, I am happy," he said.
Overton gets tips from Dhoni
After watching him during his net sessions, the England star also revealed that he has managed to pick Dhoni's brain when it comes to batting.
"He holds the bat quite low with his hands, whereas I'm more an English or Australian version, with quite high hands. The spinners don't get as much bounce [in India] so I'm trying to be a bit lower, with my hands a bit more relaxed... I feel like I'm in a good place with my batting," he explained.
