Former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) batsman Rahul Tripathi has recalled an incident when MS Dhoni motivated the former during IPL 2021 final in Dubai. Besides his sharp cricketing acumen, the Chennai Super Kings captain is known for backing the young cricketers.
Incidentally, Tripathi had come out to bat at number eight for KKR during the final against CSK due to a hamstring injury. Sadly, his stay at the crease did not last for too long as he was dismissed for just two runs to his name.
This is when MS Dhoni came up to motivate the young KKR batter. Speaking to News18, Rahul Tripathi said:
“I had a hamstring injury and therefore, I came in lower down the order. I couldn’t score runs, I was really struggling to run between the wickets. After I got out, Mahi Bhai tapped on my back and said: ‘Koi nahi, aaj tumhara day nahi tha, But tune hundred percent try kiya’. I was feeling very down since we lost the final, but Mahi bhai came after the game also and spoke to me for a minute or so.”
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Meanwhile, it was under MS Dhoni when Rahul Tripathi blossomed after joining Rising Pune Supergiants (RPS) in IPL 2017. The cricketer from Pune recalls his IPL debut when Dhoni asked him to play his natural cricket.
“I still remember when I was on my IPL debut, he came and said, Play as you play in nets. He treats every player as his younger brother. He guided me throughout the tournament in 2017. Sometimes he scolded me as well. Like when I was playing for Rajasthan Royals and KKR, I used to consult him whenever I got time. What are you doing these days. he always used to ask me,” Rahul Tripathi said.
Rahul Tripathi came into last weekend’s IPL 2022 mega auction with a base price of Rs 40 lakh and was bought for Rs 8.50 crore by Sunrisers Hyderabad.
