IPL 2021: Avesh Khan reveals how Rishabh Pant helped him plot MS Dhoni dismissal

Avesh Khan, who had an IPL 2021 campaign to remember, recently spoke about how he plotted the prized scalp of MS Dhoni in his first game of the tournament.

The Delhi Capitals youngster started the season in fine form, picking up the scalps of MS Dhoni and Faf du Plessis in his first match against Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Avesh Khan ended with figures of 2-23 in that game, dismissing both Faf Du Plessis and MS Dhoni for ducks.

In an interaction with the Indian Express after IPL 2021 got indefinitely postponed owing to COVID-19 breaches in the bio-bubbles of several teams, Avesh Khan disclosed how Rishabh Pant helped him dismiss MS Dhoni.

“Only a few overs were left, and Pant knew Dhoni would try to hit out. But he also knew that Dhoni was playing after a gap of four months, and it won’t be easy for him. Pant told me to bowl just short of a length. I did just that. Dhoni tried to hit, but got an inside edge and was bowled,” Avesh said.

In History of IPLAvesh Khan Only Pace Bowler, who Bowled out Both Virat Kohli & MS Dhoni!#IPL2021 pic.twitter.com/t5ggbPMrHX

— 𝑺𝒉𝒆𝒃𝒂𝒔 (@Shebas_10dulkar) April 28, 2021

Avesh Khan dismissed MS Dhoni with just his second ball to the CSK captain. The DC speedster bowled a back-of-a-length delivery outside the off-stump first ball, which MS Dhoni failed to get away.

His second delivery was a similar one, as Avesh Khan bowled a skiddy one that stayed a tad low. With MS Dhoni looking to accelerate, he tried to swat the ball towards the on-side but could only get an under-edge as the ball crashed onto his stumps.

After the game, Avesh Khan noted how he fulfilled his dream of dismissing MS Dhoni, saying:

“Three years ago, I had a chance to take Mahi bhai’s wicket, but somebody had dropped the catch. But now my dream of taking Mahi bhai’s wicket is fulfilled, so I am very happy about it. Since he has not played competitive matches for some time, we had planned to put pressure on him, and because of that pressure I could take his wicket,” Avesh Khan said in a DC press release.

I used to wait for Rishabh Pant's signals, says Avesh Khan

ICYMI - A look at #TeamIndia's squad for the inaugural ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final and the five-match Test series against England. 👇Standby players: Abhimanyu Easwaran, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan, Arzan Nagwaswalla pic.twitter.com/17J050QVT3

— BCCI (@BCCI) May 7, 2021

Avesh Khan ended IPL 2021 as the Delhi Capitals’ highest wicket-taker, taking 14 scalps to his name. His economy of 7.7 was one of the best among their fast bowlers as Avesh Khan’s electric performances kept South African ace Anrich Nortje out of the XI.

The youngster revealed how first-time captain Rishabh Pant used to help him from behind the stumps with signals before deliveries.

“When I was about to start my bowling run-up, I used to look at Pant. At that momen,t the batsman is watching only me, and not anyone else. So if Pant wants me to bowl a yorker, we have a sign for that. If he wants me to bowl wide outside off, I knew from his sign,” Avesh concluded.

The 24-year-old was rewarded for his strong IPL 2021 showing with a place on the standby list for India's tour of England.

Avesh Khan is part of four standby players who will travel to England next month for the World Test Championship Final and the England Test series.