Mahendra Singh Dhoni says he is focused on reinventing himself to stay “relevant” in the IPL at the age of 43. But what doesn’t require any reinventing is his quick reflexes behind the stumps.

On Sunday, Dhoni took just 0.12 seconds to whip off the bails after Suryakumar Yadav had stepped out and missed a Noor Ahmad away-going turner during the Chennai Super Kings-Mumbai Indians match in Chennai.

Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden was amazed that Dhoni has “still got it”.

“He (Dhoni) was on fire,” Hayden, a former teammate of Dhoni at CSK till 2010, told ESPNcricinfo.

“I mean Noor Ahmad was firing down the leg side and it was just a movement across the ball. They’re difficult when you’re sitting there (behind the stumps), sort of partially obscured by the batsman. Then the stumping was just superb, just such quick timing, great hands, good vision. He’s still got it.”

Noor, the bowler, was in awe of Dhoni. “The stumping from MSD (MS Dhoni) was out of the world,” the Afghan wrist spinner said after collecting his Player of the Match award on Sunday.

But while the world gushes at Dhoni’s skills, the man himself is still striving to get better at his job.

“...batsmen are now willing to take risks. They believe that with proper cricketing shots, they can play big strokes, and at the same time, they are improvising with their shot selection... whether it’s a reverse scoop against a fast bowler, a sweep, or a reverse sweep against a pacer,” Dhoni told JioStar after Chennai’s four-wicket win.

“I am no different, I have to adapt as well. This is what is required of me for where I am batting. You have to try and stay relevant,” Dhoni said.

“The way we played T20 in 2008 and the way we played IPL last year, it’s very different. Earlier, there was a lot of turn in the wickets. The wickets were two-paced. Now, India’s wickets have become much better; they are more batter-friendly,” India’s multiple World Cup-winning captain explained.

Dhoni, who led Chennai to five IPL titles, also insisted that he doesn’t try to influence current skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad’s decision-making.

“Ruturaj has been part of us for quite some time. His temperament is very good, he’s very calm, very composed.

“Before the start of the tournament, I also told him (Ruturaj), ‘If I give you advice, it doesn’t mean you have to follow it. I will try to stay away as much as possible.’ During
the season, a lot of people speculated that I was making the decisions in the background. But the fact is, he was making 99 per cent of the decisions. I was just helping him out. He did a brilliant job of handling the players.”