At the age of 43, Mahendra Singh Dhoni continues to demonstrate why he is regarded as one of the greatest wicketkeepers in the history of cricket. In a high-stakes IPL 2025 encounter between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, Dhoni’s lightning-fast reflexes behind the stumps brought an explosive innings from Phil Salt to a dramatic halt, leaving fans and spectators in awe.
Phil Salt, who was in red-hot form, had blazed his way to a quickfire 32 runs off just 16 balls, including five fours and a six. However, his aggressive onslaught was abruptly ended by a moment of sheer brilliance from Dhoni. Facing a deceptive googly from Noor Ahmad, Salt attempted a drive but was beaten by the turn. As he momentarily lifted his back foot to regain balance, Dhoni, with reflexes quicker than a blink, whipped off the bails in an astonishing 0.16 seconds.
The decision was referred to the third umpire, and replays confirmed what everyone suspected—Salt’s foot was indeed in the air when Dhoni completed the dismissal. The stadium erupted in cheers as yet another masterclass from Dhoni was added to his legendary list of stumpings.
This moment served as a powerful reminder of Dhoni’s heroics earlier in the season during CSK’s opener against Mumbai Indians, where he had stunned Suryakumar Yadav with an equally breathtaking stumping. Even at 43, the CSK icon continues to outshine younger wicketkeepers with his unmatched agility and razor-sharp cricketing brain.
With every such moment, Dhoni reinforces his legacy as a generational wicketkeeping genius, proving once again that age is just a number. His performance not only highlights his enduring skill but also cements his status as a cricketing legend whose contributions to the game will be remembered for years to come.