March 24, 2025: Former Indian cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu recently lauded MS Dhoni’s lightning-fast stumping and his remarkable contribution to the game during the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. Sidhu was speaking on Jio Hotstar, reflecting on Dhoni’s performance in the match between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
During the match, Dhoni showcased his iconic wicketkeeping skills with a swift stumping of Mumbai Indians’ Suryakumar Yadav. Sidhu praised Dhoni’s ability to execute such precise and quick stumping, especially at the age of 43. He described Dhoni as “like old wine,” getting better with age. Sidhu emphasized how Dhoni’s fitness and wicketkeeping technique were still unparalleled, crediting him for maintaining remarkable standards despite his age.
“He’s still the best at 43. He’s like old wine—getting better with time,” Sidhu said. “Look at his fitness, a wicketkeeper’s survival depends on it, and Dhoni’s technique combined with his effortless execution is remarkable. His respect in the cricketing world is simply astounding.”
Sidhu also highlighted Dhoni’s humble nature, mentioning his gesture of encouragement towards young Vignesh, the left-arm spinner for Mumbai Indians. Dhoni’s mentorship and support were praised, with Sidhu noting that such acts of kindness motivate young players to overcome challenges.
Further, Sidhu expressed that Dhoni might just be the only cricketer capable of scoring a half-century for Chennai Super Kings at the age of 50, showing his belief in Dhoni’s ability to defy age and continue making significant contributions to the game.
Meanwhile, former Australian cricketer Matthew Hayden also shared his thoughts on Dhoni’s stumping. Speaking on ESPNcricinfo’s T20 Time Out, Hayden was in awe of the wicketkeeper-batter’s quickness. He remarked, “He was on fire. Noor Ahmad was firing down the leg side, and the stumping was superb, just such quick timing, great hands, and good vision. He’s still got it.”
Dhoni’s performance, combined with a strong spell from Noor Ahmad and a match-winning knock of 65* from Rachin Ravindra, helped Chennai Super Kings secure a four-wicket win over Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2025 match. CSK chased down Mumbai’s total of 155/9, with Ravindra’s knock and crucial contributions from Ruturaj Gaikwad (53) guiding the team to victory.