MS Dhoni: Yuzvendra Chahal makes a valuable statement on the importance and need of the veteran wicket-keeper batsman by his side
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Indian leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, has been an indispensable part of the India limited-overs squad since the ICC Champions Trophy in 2017.
He, along with his fellow wrist-spinner from the side have formed the crux of the Indian spin department, and will be crucial for India’s campaign in the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup, 2019.
Moreover, considering the run-fest the batsmen are expected to enjoy in England, their role in the middle-overs would be more than imperative. They would not only have the task of picking up wickets, but also contain the batsmen, keeping the run-rate under check.
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Their aggressive wicket-taking propensity will surely prove to be vital for the team, and which perhaps will give an edge to India over other teams.
Although a major portion of their success goes to their individual skills with the ball, a fair share of it also goes to the man behind the stumps while they’re bowling- MS Dhoni. The duo have time and again praised Dhoni’s judgement and game-reading skills from behind the wickets, and have admitted that his valuable verbals during the game has most of the times, assisted them in foxing the batsmen.
Chahal has reiterated the importance of MS Dhoni, as to how Kuldeep and he still needs the veteran’s services.
What did Yuzvendra Chahal say?
Yuzvendra Chahal, in an interview with The Times of India, revealed how the veteran wicket-keeper’s inputs during the game still remains integral.
“Whatever happens, you need Mahi bhai (MS Dhoni). We still obey what he says. He intervenes when we go wrong. It was the same when we first arrived. Even today, if we plan something of our own, we feel the need to talk to him about it,” he said.
The leg-spinner, along with MS Dhoni, also admitted to have gained quite some inputs from the experienced batsmen like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
“The important bit is to talk to the senior batsmen like Mahi bhai [Dhoni], Virat, Rohit and Shikhar. You ask them how they would approach their batting in such conditions. And they have played at most venues around the world. They have a better idea,” he explained.
“Unfair to compare Kuldeep and me, to Ashwin and Jadeja”- Chahal
Chahal also exclaimed that it is unfair to compare Kuldeep and him, to the former Indian spinning duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. While it is believed that, ‘Kulcha’s’ success was the reason that the experienced duo were left out, Chahal has rubbished the fact.
“There was no pressure on us. We got an opportunity and we grabbed it. There was a talk that Ashwin and Jadeja were left out at our expense. There’s nothing like that”.
“We were just doing our job. We are not close to them in terms of the number of wickets they have taken together. Comparing us to them is as unfair as comparing Virat to Sachin Tendulkar. Kuldeep and I enjoy every moment like you do when you sit for a final exam,” he added.
Jadeja and Ashwin were India’s premier spinners until the ICC Champions Trophy 2017, where their continued ordinary performances had put them under the scanner.
While Ashwin has been out of contention, Jadeja has been India’s third spinners alongside the ‘Kulcha’ duo.
