‘Haven’t seen him get angry’: Dinesh Karthik recalls 2004 India A tour when he first played with MS Dhoni
Speaking in an episode of Star Sports’ Cricket Connected chat show, the wicketkeeper said that Dhoni has remained the same since the first time he had met him.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been one of the most successful captains of the Indian Cricket team. Under Dhoni’s captaincy, India won the 2007 T20I World Cup, 2011 ODI World Cup and the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy. One of the biggest highlight of Dhoni’s captaincy was his cool, calm and collected nature on the field that ensured that he makes smart decisions in the most stressful of situations. This was why, Dhoni earned the nickname ‘Captain cool’ during his playing days. Another India wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik, who started his career almost at the same time as Dhoni, recalled the first time he saw the right-handed batsman play.
Speaking in an episode of Star Sports’ Cricket Connected chat show, the wicketkeeper said that Dhoni has remained the same since the first time he had met him. Both Dhoni and Karthik were part of the India A team that had toured Zimbabwe back in 2004.“In 2003 or 2004, when I went for my first A tour with him, he was pretty much an easy going, chill, relaxed character and that’s what you see as well,” Karthik said.
“The only difference is that there’s a lot more white hair now, but inside, he’s pretty calm. I haven’t seen him get angry that often or I haven’t seen him express his anger explicitly outside too often. So, he’s been pretty much the same,” he added.
On Sunday, former Zimbabwe captain Tatenda Taibu, who was in the Zimbabwe team that had played against India A in 2004, had also recalled the tour and praised Dhoni’s for his unique technical prowess that made him different from everyone else.
Speaking on Fan Play-Sports Ruler ‘Inside Out With Baggs’ YouTube channel, Taibu had said: “The first time I saw Dhoni, if I am to be honest, he had come with the India A side to Zimbabwe. Another person who came with him was Dinesh Karthik. They were the two keepers. I thought Karthik was more natural than Dhoni. In keeping, he was more natural, and even in batting he was more natural.
“But I remember watching Dhoni and thinking he has got very good hand-eye co-ordination. Now, the way he (MSD) keeps, his hands are not always together like you always have the little fingers together. When he catches his hands are always not like that. “But he still always manages to catch the ball and whip the bails in a flash with a very different technique. It was a very different and odd technique.
Same thing about his batting...different technique. But great hand-eye co-ordination. But I don’t think it’s only his hand-eye coordination but probably his mental toughness,” he added.
