IPL: When MS Dhoni's rare outburst left Michael Hussey stunned
What's the story
Former Australian cricketer and current batting coach of Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Michael Hussey, recently revealed an incident that left him stunned during his first coaching stint in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The incident involved a rare display of anger from MS Dhoni, who is known for his calm nature on the field. The unexpected outburst came ahead of a crucial match against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 2018 IPL season, which left Hussey shocked. Here's more.
Pre-match strategy
The pre-match analysis that sparked the incident
The incident stemmed from a pre-match analysis of Afghan spinner Rashid Khan's bowling techniques. Hussey had received data highlighting Khan's variations, which he debated whether to share with the team or not. Eventually, he decided to share this information with the batting group, stating they could use it at their discretion. Faf du Plessis, a member of the team then, found this analysis particularly useful and expressed his appreciation for it.
Match fallout
Dhoni's dismissal and Hussey's coaching career fears
Despite the analysis, CSK faltered in their chase against SRH, with Dhoni getting out to Khan. After getting out, Dhoni confronted Hussey, who told Backchat Podcast, "He comes in and looks me straight in the eye and he goes, 'I'll bat my own f***ing way, thanks' and sits down next to me." This left Hussey fearing for his coaching career. "Oh, Coaching career, done! I sat for the rest of the game like a stunned mullet," Hussey recounted.
Post-match resolution
Dhoni clears the air post-match
Post-game, a more composed Dhoni approached Hussey to clarify his outburst. "Dhoni's a great guy and he comes up after the game and said, 'The information was great, but I needed more time and a couple of net sessions to process it'", Hussey said. This conversation helped ease Hussey's fears about his coaching career being jeopardized due to the incident. Despite this challenging start, Hussey's association with CSK as a coach has continued into its seventh edition this year.
Camp
CSK begin pre-season training with 10-day camp
Five-time champions CSK have started their pre-season training for the 2025 IPL with a 10-day camp, starting February 27. CSK's CEO Kasi Viswanathan confirmed the development during a phone call on Wednesday. The training camp will take place at the CSK High Performance Centre in Navalur. All available Indian players, including former captain Dhoni and former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, are attending the rigorous preparation period.