IPL 2024: WATCH | CSK’s Sameer Rizvi hits GT spinner Rashid Khan for first-ball six, coach calls it ‘crazy’

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batting coach Michael Hussey has hailed youngster Sameer Rizvi for his first-ball six on Indian Premier League (IPL) debut during the match against Gujarat Titans on March 26. Rizvi came to bat in the 19th over of the first innings and hit GT spinner Rashid Khan for a six on the first ball over square leg to send the Chepauk crowd in Chennai into a frenzy.

“Well, he’s got a lot of natural ability and natural hitting ability,” Hussey said of Rizvi after the match. “We’ve seen it at practice, you know, especially against the spinners. I mean, he can hit a long way and he can hit the ball very cleanly.

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“But it’s still a big ask for a young player to come in for his first IPL game against arguably the best T20 bowler of all time in Rashid Khan and hit the first ball that you face for six. I mean, that’s just crazy, isn’t it? So we’re very excited for him,” he added.

Rizvi was promoted up the order to number five and Hussey called it a masterstroke from the think tank. Rizvi went on to hit Rashid for one more six in the same over before his 6-ball 14 cameo was cut short in the final over by Mohit Sharma. Watch his two sixes below:

“It was also a bit of a masterstroke from the think tank as well. Because I think we’re all expecting MSD to come out and play those last sort of a few balls. But they realised that he [Rizvi] has got some natural power against spin and that’s why they wanted to send the youngster out. And, you know, he delivered two sixes at the end which was great for his confidence,” Hussey added.

Thanks to some belligerent batting throughout the 20 overs, CSK posted 206/6 in 20 overs and stopped GT at 143/8 to win the match by 63 runs. It was CSK’s second win in two games under newly-appointed skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad.