Time and tide, one cannot question the form and class of former Indian captain MS Dhoni. There is no denying the fact that MS Dhoni is at the fag end of his career but opener KL Rahul said the former skipper is still a match-winner for India and continues to be an inspiration in the dressing room. After being promoted to the no.4 position, Dhoni made an unbeaten 39 off 22 deliveries before affecting four dismissals behind the stumps to help India record a massive 93-run win over Sri Lanka in the first T20 International against South Africa.

Now after this match, Dhoni became the player with second most dismissal in the shortest format of the game. With 201 dismissals in 272 matches, the former captain has become the second wicketkeeper after Kamran Akmal to complete 200 dismissals or more in Twenty20 Internationals.

“I see him (Dhoni) as motivated in the dressing room as I always have. He’s somebody we look up to, he’s a match winner and he will always be one,” Rahul said at the post-match news conference. “He is in great shape, and he almost killed me as soon as he came into bat,” he added with a smile referring to a brutal shot by Dhoni to hit his first four during the match.

Then, soon after Rahul left the job unfinished getting out for 61, Dhoni played the finisher’s role to perfection with a 22-ball 39 not out with four boundaries and a six to lift India to 180 for 3. The target was way too many for Sri Lanka as they slumped to their sixth consecutive T20 defeat in their 100^th appearance in the shortest format of the game.

Watch MS Dhoni’s shot here:

MS Dhoni’s bullet that got Rahul, almost! https://t.co/9fumonb4WI #BCCI #MSDhoni #KLRahul

— DC Sports (@_DCSports) December 21, 2017

“I don’t know what form you are talking about but every time I switch on the TV or play with him in the dressing room, he always seems to get runs,” Rahul said strongly backing Dhoni. Adding to the good show Dhoni offered with the bat, he also accounted for two catches and two stumpings to surpass South African great AB de Villiers in the record for most dismissals in T20Is.

“The last time he was here he got a massive hundred. He’s been contributing really well in every game,” Rahul said about his senior teammate. Making a return after being dropped in the ODI series, Rahul top-scored for India to grab the opportunity in the absence of regular opener Shikhar Dhawan.

“Every innings is important. With the kind of competition in the team whatever opportunity you get you need to go out there and make it count, it took me a long time to realize that I need to stay true to my game. I’ve been successful when I have kept things simple – playing cricketing shots that I’m blessed with or I am good at playing,” the 25-year-old said.

 

Well, that was so good to hear from the player who bagged a century in every format of cricket.

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