‘Please do not use it’: Matthew Hayden reveals MS Dhoni’s reaction on his ‘mongoose bat’
But not many members of the CSK franchise, including skipper MS Dhoni, were a fan of the idea of using the mongoose bat before Hayden had used it, the Aussie legend said in a chat with TV presenter Rupa Ramani in a video for CSK Live.
Former Australia cricketer and Chennai Super Kings opener Matthew Hayden revolutionised the Indian Premier League back in the year 2010. The bat, which has a longer handle, and smaller hitting surface, was used by Hayden in one of his most memorable innings in the T20 league when he knocked 93 runs off 43 balls to help his side chase down 186 against Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals).
But not many members of the CSK franchise, including skipper MS Dhoni, were a fan of the idea of using the mongoose bat before Hayden had used it, the Aussie legend said in a chat with TV presenter Rupa Ramani in a video for CSK Live.
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“It’s hard to give perpsective on the mongoose bat. I get a lot of questions about this product. From player’s point of view, they often ask how can you use half a bat. I remember MS Dhoni saying, ‘mate, I will give you anything in life you want not to use this bat. Please do not use this bat’,” Hayden revealed.
“And I said to MS, ‘mate, I have been praciticing at the nets with this bat for about a year and a half and I am telling you, when it hits the middle of the bat, it goes 20m further’. That’s just the fact, the balls just disappear off this thing and they go forever,” he added.
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Speaking about why he decided to use the product, Hayden said: “I was not going to put my franchise at risk and have bad performance. I had done my homework on this product, I was ready to use it. I was ready to trade it as well. Sometimes, I use it through the middle stages of the match, I would not come out necessarily straight off. This became a strategic tool.”
“Mongoose product was a step in the right direction. It was a brave, courageous decision to use it. I believed it was going to make my game better. On a couple of occasions, I used it, I loved it, it was fun,” he further said.
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