'It was eye-opening': Mark Wood reveals how Dhoni destroyed KL Rahul's plan in IPL match

MS Dhoni made the homecoming at Chepauk special for Chennai Super Kings on Monday night by hitting consecutive sixes after coming in to bat in the final over against Lucknow Super Giants. MS Dhoni got off the mark with a six over the wide deep third man, before striking another maximum with a pull shot in the very next ball. Interestingly, it was Mark Wood, who received the beating on the other end while bowling the final over for his team. 

While the Indian cricket legend successfully made one of the world’s fastest bowlers sweat, the bowler has now revealed what was going on in his mind while getting struck for the sixes. Shedding light on the same after the match, Wood admitted he was only doing what he discussed with LSG skipper KL Rahul, but the 41-year-old seemingly destroyed their plans. Dhoni’s 12-run cameo off three balls turned out to be the winning difference as it lifted CSK to a total of 217/7 in match no. 6 of IPL 2023.

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"I and KL were talking. We were trying to stay calm and trying to work out how to get him out. In my mind, I was not trying to be defensive. I was actually thinking of ways to stop him from scoring runs and get him out. Unfortunately, it cost me 12 runs. But, that second shot in particular was an amazing shot. I bowled it exactly where KL and I decided. Get a bouncer and get it wide so that he has to fetch it if he is to take it. For him to hit it that far was pretty incredible," Wood said.

IPL 2023:  MS Dhoni scripts CSK's perfect homecoming at Chepauk

As CSK fans waited to see Dhoni in the first home game at the iconic Chepauk Stadium in Chennai for them in IPL 2023, he walked out to bat at no. 8 in the final over with just five balls remaining in the innings. The four-time IPL-winning skipper needed no time to get into business as he got off the mark with a six over the deep third man. He then smashed another six in the very next ball off a pull shot which went 30 yards over the leg side rope.

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Interestingly, Wood had delivered the first ball that Dhoni faced at a staggering 148 kmph outside the batsman’s arc, but his stunning bat swing sent the ball across the ropes. Bowling the next ball, the English paceman looked to shorten the length, but the former India skipper quickly swiveled to fetch it with a pull shot to send the ball 89 metres into the stand.

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It is worth mentioning that Wood made his debut in the marquee T20 league under Dhoni’s captaincy in 2018 and also lifted the title with CSK that year. "The noise when he came out to bat and then when he hit those two balls were definitely the loudest I have played in front of. It was eye-opening but it was a great experience to look back on," Wood added.