Bowling well to MS Dhoni in IPL grew my self belief: Tabraiz Shamsi

Indian Premier League (IPL) has proved to be a perfect platform for the cricketers across the world to prove their potential. A lot of Indian as well as foreign cricketers have represented their country after doing well in the cash-rich league. South Africa’s chinaman Tabraiz Shamsi is no different despite the fact that he has played only four matches in the IPL.

He represented the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the 2016 season where he was picked as a replacement player by the franchise. Interestingly, Shamsi’s IPL debut came against the MS Dhoni– led Rising Pune Supergiant and according to him, this was the game where his self belief grew.

Tabraiz Shamsi’s response to the critics

Tabraiz Shamsi still remembers playing his first IPL game and it is very special for him as he got a chance to bowl at the RPS skipper Dhoni. The spinner termed him as the best finisher the sport has ever seen but takes a lot of confidence from the fact that he bowled really to Dhoni. Rather the 30-year-old was highly confident after bowling well to the veteran cricketer in his very first IPL appearance.

He also said that him going well against a player like Dhoni was a perfect response to his critics who always doubted his skills. “I got picked up in RCB as a replacement player. Team management saw me bowling well in the warm-ups and they picked me for a game. I remember bowling to MS Dhoni towards the backend of the game. I remember this moment clearly because it’s special for me. He’s probably the best finisher the game has ever seen.

“I was handling well and kept him under control. All the people who doubted me and made me feel like I’m not good enough, they can go and catch a hike, because I am here, I am doing well against the best finisher of the game. That’s how my self belief grew. From that moment my mindset changed completely, I don’t need to listen to people who think to bring me down,” Tabraiz Shamsi said while speaking at Red Inker Podcast with Jarrod Kimber.

As for the game, Shamsi returned with the figures of 1/36 in four overs dismissing Ajinkya Rahane as the RCB successfully defended 185 to win the match by 11 runs. The chinaman bowled 11 deliveries at Dhoni and conceded 18 runs including a couple of fours.