Kevin Pietersen expressed his disappointment regarding the numerous rumors circulating about him being MS Dhoni’s first-ever Test wicket. During a previous IPL game in 2017, while Pietersen was commentating and engaging in a conversation with Manoj Tiwari, Dhoni unexpectedly interrupted and asserted that KP was his maiden Test wicket.
Since then, many have playfully taunted the former England captain regarding this claim. Pietersen expressed his frustration and actively attempted to debunk this misconception. Taking to social media, the renowned English cricket icon requested videos as evidence in order to put an end to the ongoing conversation.
Pietersen is alluding to a particular occurrence at Lord’s Cricket Ground during the initial Test match of a four-match series between India and England in 2011. The Indian team found themselves facing a shortage of available bowlers after Zaheer Khan sustained an injury on the opening day of the match.
Prior to the introduction of the second new ball by the opposing team, Captain Dhoni decided to try his hand at bowling, while the esteemed batsman Rahul Dravid assumed wicketkeeping duties. Dhoni posed a challenge to Pietersen when he appealed for an LBW decision, but the umpire ruled in favor of the batsman despite the ball striking his pads. In the same over, Dhoni appealed for a caught-behind dismissal, which the on-field umpire granted.
However, Pietersen promptly called for a review using the Decision Review System (DRS), and the subsequent replays demonstrated that there was no contact between the bat and the ball. The “hot spot” technology also revealed the absence of any discernible spike.
“I’m actively searching for the clip from the Test match at Lord’s to conclusively refute all these claims suggesting that I was Dhoni’s first Test wicket. Allow me to dispel any misconception—I certainly was not,” expressed Pietersen in his statement.
Dhoni’s Test cricket career concluded without any wickets to his name. Nevertheless, he did secure a wicket in his One Day International (ODI) career, in the 2009 Champions Trophy match versus the West Indies.