CSK have found MS Dhoni’s replacement? Young wicketkeeper pulls off ‘Thala’-like brilliance - Watch

Chennai Super Kings' young wicketkeeper-batter Urvil Patel impressed with a lightning-fast stumping reminiscent of MS Dhoni. He also showcased his batting prowess with a fighting century for Gujarat in the Ranji Trophy. Patel's performances highlight his potential to carry forward the Dhoni legacy.

Urvil Patel & MS Dhoni (Gettyimages)

Chennai Super Kings’ young wicketkeeper-batter Urvil Patel gave fans a glimpse of the future this week with a brilliant display of skill behind the stumps — one that reminded many of MS Dhoni’s magic. In a video shared on his Instagram, Urvil can be seen executing a lightning-fast stumping that left the batter stunned. As the ball zipped past the outside edge, the batter’s back foot lifted for just a split second — and that was enough. Urvil, in true Dhoni style, whipped off the bails in a flash before anyone could blink. Click here to watch Urvil Patel’s stunning stumping.

Urvil Patel Insta post

The clip, captioned “Didn’t learn from books… Learnt from the legend himself — Thala ”, quickly went viral. Fans flooded the comments section praising the youngster’s reflexes, and even CSK’s official handle joined in, commenting, “Top work!”.

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While speculation continues over whether MS Dhoni will return for another IPL season, CSK fans are already seeing hope in Urvil — a player who seems to be carrying the Dhoni legacy forward with confidence and composure. Urvil has also been in superb touch with the bat. Playing for Gujarat in the Ranji Trophy against Bengal at Eden Gardens, he produced a stunning counter-attack when his team was in deep trouble. Chasing a stiff target of 327, Gujarat were tottering at 50 for 3 when Urvil walked in at number three. With wickets tumbling around him, the young wicketkeeper held his nerve, mixing caution with calculated aggression. He went on to score a fighting 96-ball century, reaching the landmark with a crisp drive through the covers. Urvil’s innings of 109 off 124 balls, decorated with 14 fours and 2 sixes, injected belief into Gujarat’s dressing room. He also stitched together a vital 100-run stand with Jaymeet (34) that briefly raised hopes of an unlikely chase. Facing a strong Bengal bowling attack featuring Mohammed Shami, Akashdeep, Abhishek Porel, and Shahbaz Ahmed, Urvil looked unflustered, taking on the pacers with confidence and reading the spinners smartly. However, after he retired hurt due to cramps, Gujarat’s resistance fell apart, collapsing to 185 all out, handing Bengal a 141-run win. Despite the defeat, Urvil’s knock stood out as the highlight of the match. It was an innings that not only showcased his temperament and shot-making ability but also his ability to perform under pressure — a quality that will serve him well in bigger stages. The 26-year-old has already built a reputation in T20 cricket, holding the record for the fastest century by an Indian in T20s — off just 28 balls against Tripura in 2024. Picked by CSK as a replacement for Vansh Bedi in IPL 2025, Urvil has played three matches so far, scoring 68 runs, and with such performances, he is fast emerging as one of the brightest young names in the CSK setup.

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