VIDEO | Dinesh Karthik does a MS Dhoni, brilliantly stumps Jason Roy
MS Dhoni is known for his ability to not only read the batsman’s mind from behind the stump but also his bowler’s next move in the act. And KKR skipper Dinesh Karthik’s brilliant stumping of Delhi Daredevils’ Jason Roy on Monday had the former Indian skipper's brilliance written all over it.
It is widely known that Dhoni was one of the main reasons why Karthik couldn’t reach the heights in his cricketing career that he had once promised. The technically superior batsman of the two, Karthik has always been a passenger on the Indian team train and has failed to cement his place in the side.Â
However, with Dhoni’s retirement fast approaching, DK might be looking forward to take up his role in national colors. After showing his finishing abilities against Bangladesh in the Nidahas Trophy final, Karthik came up with a brilliant skill from behind the stumps as well on Monday, when he stumped DD’s Jason Roy with lightning-quick reflexes after Piyush Chawla’s leg-spinner had bamboozled the explosive hitter.
After debutant Roy’s blistering 53-ball 91 run-knock had swept away Mumbai Indians in Delhi’s last game, KKR were wary of the Englishman’s abilities while defending a target of 201 runs. However, Eden Gardens’ crowd were in for a pleasant surprise when opening bowler Chawla sent him packing in the first over itself for just one run.
After managing just three runs in five balls of the first powerplay over, an impatient Roy decided to step out for the biggie. However, a veteran Chawla had already anticipated it and decided to accelerate his delivery down the leg side. An advancing Roy found himself in no man’s land and by the time he turned back, Karthik had uprooted the stumps. Not only was it a brilliant bowl by Chawla but also fast thinking by KKR's new skipper, who defeated the side’s former skipper, Gautam Gambhir, to make a massive statement.