'They didn't give me...': Dhoni's cheeky dig at IPL after being denied post-match award for world record catch

Dhoni aimed a complaint at the IPL after he was denied a post-match award for which he had even scripted a world record during the CSK vs SRH game.

Another day, another comfortable win at home for Chennai Super Kings. who made the most of their known Chepauk conditions to script their second consecutive win on the bounce. The spinners, led by Ravindra Jadeja with his three-wicket haul, helped Chennai restrict Sunrisers Hyderabad to 134 for seven before Devon Conway's unbeaten 77 eased CSK to a seven-wicket win. Captain MS Dhoni did not bat, but he had an eventful day as a wicketkeeper as he picked up a catch and then inflicted a stumping and a run-out. However, Dhoni aimed a complaint at the IPL broadcasters after he was denied a post-match award for which he had even scripted a record during the game.

Chennai Super Kings' captain MS Dhoni holds his wicket-keeping glove between his teeth during the Indian Premier League cricket match (AP)

The catch was completed in the penultimate ball of the 13th over when Mahesh Theekshana was into the attack against SRH captain Aiden Markram. It was a carrom ball that spun away as Markram rocked back to play a lofted shot towards the off side. However, he ended up getting the faintest edge and Dhoni took a sharp catch behind the stump.

With that catch, Dhoni scripted yet another wicketkeeping world record. It was his 208th catch in T20 cricket the most ever in the format as he edged past South African counterpart Quinton de Kock.

Despite the record feat, Dhoni was denied the ‘Best Catch of the Match’ award by IPL which instead went to Ruturaj Gaikwad for his successful attempt in the dismissal of Harry Brook in the fifth over of SRH's innings.

Speaking in the post-match presentation, Dhoni took a cheeky dig at IPL explaining that his catch was a difficult one because he was in the wrong position. "Still, they didn't give me the best catch. I felt it was a fantastic catch. I was in such a wrong position. Just because we wear gloves, people think it's easy. A long time back I still remember one game - Rahul Dravid was keeping and he caught one like that. With your skillset, you can't take a catch like that. You have to be in a very wrong position to be able to take that kind of a catch," Dhoni said in the post-match presentation.

“Overall the middle overs were the setup. Fast bowlers bowled very well in the last few overs. I always tell them that the first preference of field setting is with you,” Dhoni added.

It was in fact the second time he had mentioned that during that same interview. Earlier, when he had arrived for the chat, the Chepauk crowd had gone berserk and the presenter asked if they should wait for the spectators to calm down when Dhoni, with a smile, mentioned, "Meanwhile I can complain that they did not give me the best catch award."