Chennai Super Kings throwdown specialist Kondappa Raj Palani has narrated his first meeting with the legendary MS Dhoni days after the former India captain announced his retirement from international cricket. Dhoni decided to retire on August 15, 2020, days before the start of the 13th edition of the IPL is the UAE. CSK were undergoing a preparatory camp at it was during the same time that Dhoni took the decision that his time as international cricketer was over. Still, the IPL was just around the corner, and Dhoni needed some practice in the nets.
"The first time, the camp started when Dhoni retired. I saw him for the first time then. He asked if you were the throwers. He asked me to throw balls at him. The team was pleased after that. The net bowlers were speaking about his retirement. After two or three weeks, he came to play sidearm. Everybody was arriving," Palani said on the Chennai Super Kings website.
"Fleming, Hussey and everyone said Dhoni was coming and asked me to bowl carefully. The first two balls were wides. The next ball was a full toss. Dhoni came to me and said 'Stop looking at me and bowl'. He asked me to play naturally. I then started bowling wherever he wanted and then he was very happy. He started addressing me everyday since with my name."
Palani wasn't the only CSK throwdown specialist to get a chance to bowl to Dhoni. His partner, Murugan had his share of luck of bowling to the CSK legend. "He mostly asks me to bowl front foot. He used to say picking wickets is next. First, get the feel of it. We started giving him that," Murugan mentioned.
{{/usCountry}}Palani wasn't the only CSK throwdown specialist to get a chance to bowl to Dhoni. His partner, Murugan had his share of luck of bowling to the CSK legend. "He mostly asks me to bowl front foot. He used to say picking wickets is next. First, get the feel of it. We started giving him that," Murugan mentioned.
{{/usCountry}}IPL 2022 was the first time that Dhoni's CSK failed to make it to the Playoffs, finishing the season second from bottom with 12 points. The following year though, CSK roared back with Dhoni leading them to a fourth IPL title. IPL 2022 was another rare failure for CSK as they became the second team to be eliminated and eventually finished second last.