"I Want MS Dhoni To Smash You": Rohit Sharma's Out-Of-The-Box Advice To Youngster To Get Thala Out In IPL

The fanfare around MS Dhoni has reached fever pitch once again, as he donned the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) colours for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season. Dhoni wowed fans with lightning-quick reflexes behind the stumps, before enchanting the crowd by coming out to bat at the very end. While he did not need to score any runs here, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) all-rounder Ramandeep Singh has narrated the experience of bowling to Dhoni in his prime, and the plan set by Rohit Sharma to dismiss him.

Ramandeep Singh was part of Mumbai Indians (MI) in IPL 2022, playing five games and even picking up six wickets for them. It was at that time that he had to bowl to MS Dhoni, when MI faced CSK in IPL's 'El Clasico'.

Ramandeep narrated that Rohit wanted MS Dhoni to go after his bowling, in a tactic to try and get him out.

"When Rohit gave me the ball and Dhoni was batting, he told me in our first conversation, 'I want MS Dhoni to smash you'. Because they had lost seven wickets at that point. So if he hits us, it is okay, but if he gets out while trying to hit us, then we will win," Ramandeep explained, speaking on the 'Figuring Out' podcast with Raj Shamani.

Ramandeep further elaborated why Rohit is the ideal captain for situations like these.

There was good belief in my batting, but when you are bowling your first-ever ball, in the IPL, in front of a crowd, it's a very different scenario, because you have never experienced that in your life," Ramandeep said.

"Only a captain can give you the feeling of freedom when you get in a team. He (Rohit) is a true leader," Ramandeep said further.

The 27-year-old was released by MI after IPL 2022, but came into prominence in IPL 2024, being a vital cog of the KKR team that went on to