MS Dhoni's large fan following is not new to anyone. The 42-year-old cricketer, who is considered as one of the finest captains in the world, guided Team India to three major ICC trophies under his leadership. Dhoni is widely popular for his calm and composed nature and his awareness on the field. Apart from his regular fan base, the Chennai Super Kings skipper is also admired by other cricketers itself and veteran India spinner Yuzvendra Chahal is one such example.
Chahal, who made his international debut in 2016 during an ODI series against Zimbabwe, is known for his hilarious antics both on the ield and off the field. However, in a recent interview, the leg-spinner revealed that whenever he is in front of Dhoni, he automatically keeps his mouth shut.
"He is only person, unke saamne aate hi meri bolti bandh ho jaati hai [I am tongue-tied in front of him]. I don't speak a lot irrespective of the kind of mood I am in. I just sit still and reply only if Mahi bhai asks something. Otherwise, I just keep quiet," Chahal said in an interview with Ranveer Allahbadia.
The 32-year-old spinner shared a story where he had conceded 64 runs against South Africa in a T20 match in Centurion and how Dhoni showed trust and comforted Chahal during his "off day".
"We were playing a T20 match against South Africa in Centurion. For the first time, I was hit for 64 runs in four overs. [Heinrich] Klaasen was hammering me, so he asked me whether I would bowl round the wicket. I said okay, but then Klaasen hit me for a six," said Chahal.
"I was walking back when Mahi bhai came to me and told me, 'aaj tere din nahi hai, koi baat nahi' [Today is not your day, it's okay]. But he told me that the five balls that I have left, I should try and not concede a boundary on those as that will help the team. From that experience, I realized that even if you have an off day, you can still support the team," he added.
Chahal has played 72 ODIs and scalped a whopping total of 121 wickets. He has also played 75 matches in T20I and scalped 91 wickets. Apart from international cricket, he has also played 145 IPL matches and took 187 wickets, with the best figures of 5/40.
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