Dhoni’s decision to bowl surprised the Kiwis, says James Franklin – Cricket News Update
New Zealand’s all-rounder http://www.senore.com/Cricket/JEC-Franklin-c1684, who bowled the crucial final over to hand his side an enthralling one run victory over India in the second T20 here in Chennai, shared on Wednesday that MS Dhoni’s decision to bowl first on the slow Chepauk pitch
had surprised the entire Kiwi outfit.
While speaking to media reporters after the sensational series clinching one-run victory over the former T20 champions, Franklin reckoned the Indian skippered erred in his decision maintaining the slow and slugging Chennai wicket was a ‘win the toss and
bat first pitch’.
"Honestly, India's decision to field raised a few eyebrows in our camp. Having had the experience of playing IPL here, we always knew it was a win the toss and bat first pitch," said the medium-pacer who returned with figures of two for 26 from four overs,
including Yuvraj Singh’s crucial wicket in the final over.
After being put into bat, the tourists rode on wicketkeeper batsman Brendon McCullum’s whirlwind 91, studded with eleven fours and three sixes, to post a competitive 167 for five.
The Kiwi bowlers then took the charge of dismantling the formidable Indian batting line-up restricting them to 166 for 4 in their stipulated 20 overs, to script a series clinching one-run victory, after the first T20 in Visakhapatnam was washed out.
The home side looked well on course to victory until Virat Kohli's departure in the 14th over. With http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 were in favourable position, needing 13 off the final six deliveries of the match, however, Yuvraj's dismissal
on the fourth ball off James Franklin turned the tables on the hosts.
"Our plan after Virat's dismissal was to not let the new batsman settle in and get the required run-rate up and try to induce mistakes from them," Franklin said. "Dhoni is a big hitter, but the ball was gripping and stopping a bit on the batsmen. It was
about bowling cleverly."
It is pertinent to mention here that Chepauk is the home ground of IPL franchise, Chennai Super Kings, which Dhoni leads in the lucrative Twenty20 league. CSK has had an unbeaten run at the venue in the 2011 edition of the Indian Premier League. The franchise,
however, struggled to win home games during this year’s Indian Premier League, with Dhoni admitting repeatedly that he erred in reading the wicket.
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