There was a time when Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav ruled the roost in Indian cricket. Chahal has repeatedly credited former Indian skipper, MS Dhoni, for instilling belief and confidence in him, during the spinner’s yesteryears.
Well renowned for his calm demeanour, MS Dhoni had earned the moniker of ‘Captain Cool’ and Chahal recently recalled how MS Dhoni reacted after the spinner bowled his most expensive spell in T20I cricket.
Yuzvendra Chahal conceded 64 runs in just four overs against South Africa in 2018, It was the costliest spell by an Indian bowler in the shortest format.
MS Dhoni usually walked up to his bowlers to share some advice whenever they got hit for big runs.
Chahal was expecting the same, however, Dhoni took him by surprise completely.
Speaking to Ravichandran Ashwin on his YouTube show “DRS with Ash”, Chahal revealed, “Once, in a match where I got hit for 64 runs in a T20I in South Africa, and (Heinrich) Klassen had hit me all around the park, Mahi bhai had told me to come around the wicket. I did that and he hit me for a six over the biggest boundary at mid-wicket.”
He continued, “Then Mahi bhai came to me and I said, ‘Yes Mahi bhai, ab kya karna hai? (What should I do now?). He said ‘Kuch nahi, mai to waisehi aagaya tere paas’. (Nothing, I just came to check upon you) I know it’s not your day, you are trying but it isn’t happening. Zyada sochna nahi, apne chaar ka quota khatam kar aur chill kar (Don’t think too much, just finish your four overs and chill.”
Chahal and Kuldeep struggled for form and subsequently lost their places in the team in limited-overs cricket, after MS Dhoni’s retirement in 2020. The ‘Kul-Cha’ duo however will be back when India take on West Indies later this month.
