Making his IPL debut against Gujarat Titans, Chennai Super Kings youngster Sameer Rizvi, made a significant impact. Rizvi’s impressive debut was one of the highlights of CSK’s dominant 63-run victory at the iconic Chepauk stadium. Rizvi, however, attributed his stellar performance to the invaluable advice received from MS Dhoni.
“I was going to hit it big if a delivery was on my radar. The very first ball was in my area and I smashed it for a six,” Rizvi shared in a post-match interview shared by the IPL’s official handle.
“When the auction happened, CSK picked me up, I was happy because meeting MS Dhoni was a dream, let alone playing with him. It has been fulfilled,” Rizvi expressed, reflecting on his journey to IPL stardom and meeting his idol.
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Recalling Dhoni’s advice, Rizvi emphasized the importance of playing his natural game while managing nerves in high-pressure situations.
“MS Dhoni has told me to play the way I do, telling me that the game is the same, the skill is the same, but the mindset is different,” Rizvi shared.
“My jersey number is seven. I could not get it. So I got jersey number one. In this team, everyone loves and supports each other. I was playing IPL for the first time and everyone cheered for me with all their hearts. Whenever I want to ask something, I ask my fellow players. I ask them about the mindset of batting. I want to learn these things,” concluded the 20-year-old batsman.