MS Dhoni, the captain of the Chennai Super Kings, hit a major milestone in his cricket journey by becoming the first player ever in the Indian Premier League (IPL) to achieve 200 fielding dismissals. This remarkable accomplishment took place during a match against the Lucknow Super Giants on Monday at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.
While keeping wickets in the 14th over, Dhoni’s quick reactions truly showcased why he’s so respected in the game. Ayush Badoni, trying to up the scoring rate, wandered out of his crease after attempting a big shot against Ravindra Jadeja. But Jadeja, with his vast experience, cleverly bowled a delivery that got past Badoni’s bat. Dhoni, ever alert, swiftly grabbed the ball and knocked the bails off the stumps in an instant.
With this game marking his 271st appearance in the IPL, Dhoni not only reached 200 dismissals but also pulled off a catch of his counterpart Rishabh Pant in the final over. By the end of the innings, Lucknow had scored 166 runs for seven wickets. Over his career, Dhoni has 201 dismissals to his name—this includes 155 catches and 46 stumpings.
Right behind him on the list is former wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik, who has managed 182 dismissals. AB de Villiers, the iconic player from Royal Challengers Bengaluru, ranks third with 126 dismissals.
In this same match, Dhoni won the toss and chose to bowl first. Lucknow didn’t have too many highlights in their batting, except for a solid partnership of 50 runs between Mitchell Marsh and Rishabh Pant. Marsh scored 30 runs off 25 balls, hitting two fours and two sixes. Meanwhile, Pant was the standout batsman for LSG, knocking in a half-century with 63 runs off 49 balls, decorated with four fours and four sixes. He also teamed up with Abdul Samad for an important 53 runs towards the end, pushing Lucknow to a total of 166 runs after their 20 overs. For Chennai, Ravindra Jadeja was particularly impressive with the ball, taking two wickets for 24 runs, while Matheesha Pathirana also contributed with two wickets but conceded 45 runs.
This game not only added to Dhoni’s impressive list of achievements but also emphasized why he’s regarded as one of the greatest players in cricket history. His keen instincts and skills behind the stumps continue to be a game-changer for Chennai Super Kings.
