While MS Dhoni has been absent from the field for a while now, there is a very young cricketer who seems to be carrying forward his legacy.
We are talking about 7-year-old Pari Sharma, who is being hailed for her helicopter shot, as seen in a video shared by cricketer-turned-commentators Aakash Chopra and Sanjay Manjrekar.
While Aakash called her a ‘thunderbolt’.
Thursday Thunderbolt…our very own Pari Sharma. Isn’t she super talented? 👏👏 #AakashVani pic.twitter.com/2oGLLLAadu
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) August 13, 2020
Manjrekar said he was happy to see the shot, made famous by Dhoni, being practiced by the youngsters.
I see now helicopter shot being actually practiced. Along with collecting the ball very close to the stumps as keeper, this is another cricketing technique Dhoni has popularised as great options for budding cricketers. https://t.co/vJcurZyyFh
— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) August 13, 2020
Dhoni’s famous helicopter shot is his trademark, where there is usage of wrist and circling around of the bat on completion as the ball is sent flying in the air.
Pari’s brilliant execution of the same has garnered a lot of praise by many.
Lady murulidharan
— Rajabhakshu (@Rajabhakshu1) August 14, 2020
May god bless more talents in future as she grows
— Mahendra Jadeja (@mahendrajadeja) August 13, 2020
So beautiful 😍 you’re genius
— Dr.Subhash Chandra (@Subhash13146873) August 13, 2020
I think no girl cricketer played this helicopter shot even in international matches
— Shanu (@shanealam87) August 13, 2020
Baat speed and hands remarkable!
— Debraj Mookerjee (@debrajmookerjee) August 13, 2020
Amazing talent! Get her to @BCCIWomen team immediately.
— Saumen Ghosh (@shomu_73) August 13, 2020
That’s bat speed and balance 🔥❤️
— Shadow Clone 🍥 (@dodo1604) August 13, 2020
This is not the first time Pari has garnered appreciation for her talent, though. On April 21, ESPN had shared a clip of her playing cricket and the same was shared by many cricketers, who went as far as saying that they envied her technique.
When I grow up I want to be like Pari Sharma! 👏🏽👏🏽 https://t.co/7JLFQNc4tR
— Shai Hope (@shaidhope) April 21, 2020
Pari is coached by her father who told The Indian Express:
I have been training Pari at home since she was four years old. It was my dream to make it big as a cricketer, now I hope my daughter fulfils my unrealised dream. These days, she plays with 14 to 15-year-old boys in training at local cricket academies.