Kolkata Knight Riders’ all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer recently reflected on a moment during IPL 2023 that showcased the exceptional leadership of MS Dhoni, even as the former India captain had already announced his decision to step down from his leadership role. Iyer, who rejoined KKR in the 2025 IPL mega auction for Rs 23.75 crore, shared how Dhoni’s strategic field placement during a match between Chennai Super Kings and KKR in Chennai led to his dismissal.
In the match, KKR was chasing a modest target of 145 runs at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. During the chase, Dhoni made a subtle yet impactful change to the field. He moved a fielder from deep square leg to short third, slightly off from where the fielder would typically stand. The very next ball saw Iyer hitting the ball directly into the hands of that fielder, where Ravindra Jadeja made the catch off Deepak Chahar’s delivery, sending Iyer back to the pavilion.
Reflecting on the moment, Iyer was left in awe of Dhoni’s tactical brilliance. “After the game, I asked Dhoni why he placed the fielder in that particular position. He had a proper answer. He explained that he had observed the angles of my shots, how the ball would likely come off my bat, and placed the fielder there accordingly. His reading of angles is just out of this world. He understood that if I played a certain shot, the ball would go in that direction, so he positioned the fielder there. This is proactive captaincy — understanding the batter’s intentions before they even play the shot,” Iyer recalled.
Iyer appreciated Dhoni’s foresight and the instinctive decision-making that helped him read the game so well. “That’s real captaincy — anticipating what the batter is trying to do. It’s this kind of subtle genius that separates Dhoni from others,” he added. Iyer also noted how the field change and his dismissal were captured perfectly by the cameras, showing how Dhoni’s move worked immediately.
Under Dhoni’s leadership, CSK went on to win their fifth IPL title that season, defeating Gujarat Titans in the final. Dhoni then passed the captaincy baton to Ruturaj Gaikwad ahead of the IPL 2024 season.
