Last Updated on 5 years by Charbel Coorey

MS Dhoni announced his retirement from international cricket before starting this 13th IPL season after taking a year-long break after the 2019 World Cup. Dhoni’s contribution to the Indian cricket team and his mark at the international level is unmatched. Apart from being a classic finisher, he has won all ICC tournaments during his captaincy. This year his IPL team hasn’t performed well, and Chennai Super Kings are at the bottom position in the point table.

Recently, former cricketer Sanjay Bangar, who was once the batting coach of the national team said that Dhoni used to make notes so that he would read them before heading to bat. In an interaction for Star Sports, Bangar said, “I came to know recently as to how – in his formative years because he is such a hitter of the ball, has that natural ability to clear – Dhoni curbed his natural instinct. He used to write on his thigh pad – 1, 2 – Tick Tick and 4, 6 – Cross Cross. So, every time he would go out to bat, and he’d be putting on his thigh pad, he’d probably have a look at that. It would remind him that he has to follow a process. And that is how by running those one and two he became such a great finisher”, he stated.

Bangar compared him with Michael Bevan, who was Australia’s left-hand batsman who performed the role of a finisher for his team. “Both the cricketers were aware of the effectiveness of running between the wickets. Most finishers in world cricket have realised the importance of singles, doubles. You look at Michael Bevan, look at MS Dhoni. They have this thing in common, which helps them win cricket matches. It’s not those fours and sixes. And that is the process that MS Dhoni follows,” he added.

CSK fans had a disappointing IPL season this year as the team is at the bottom. They are only team who have qualified in the playoffs in all IPL editions they have participated in, until now.

Written by Anjali Jha. Follow Anjali on Twitter today.