The Men in Blue recently attended a gala dinner, hosted by skipper Virat Kohli‘s foundation. It was a fundraising event and famous sports commentator Alan Wilkins was given the duty of anchoring it.
Throughout the event, Wilkins quizzed Team Indian players and asked them some very funny and interesting questions.
When former Indian skipper MS Dhoni came and sat on the hot seat, Wilkins went on to ask him a couple of things, starting with his views on the Duckworth-Lewis method. Wilkins asked this question because D/L method has been the biggest talking point in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy due to overcast weather conditions in England.
Dhoni came up with an interesting reply, as he mentioned that even the ICC is not totally aware of the rule and how it works. “I don’t think even ICC understands the D/L method and how it works,” said Dhoni.
Later, Alan Wilkins asked MSD to name the toughest bowler he has ever faced. Dhoni, who faced Pakistan’s Rawalpindi Express many times at the start of his career, took no time in naming him as the toughest bowler he has ever faced in his career.
“All the fast bowlers are quite difficult, with the limited technique I had, it was very difficult to face the fast bowlers. Still, if I had to pick one, I would pick Shoaib Akhtar,” the most successful Indian captain was quoted as saying.
On being asked the reason, Dhoni said, “Very simple reason, he was quick, he was fast, he could bowl a yorker, he could bowl a bouncer but you never expected a beamer, he was a bit unpredictable, he was fun to play against.”
Well, Dhoni and Shoaib Akhtar were involved in a fierce battle during MSD’s first ever Test series in Faisalabad in 2006. In his knock of 148 which saved the Test for India, Dhoni played Akhtar very well.