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India's promising pace bowler Deepak Chahar highlighted the role of MS Dhoni in his growth as a cricketer. He revealed how the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain had moulded him into an all-round bowler.
Chahar spoke at length about MS Dhoni's influence on his career in a chat on the Star Sports show Cricket Connected.
The CSK swing bowler threw light on how MS Dhoni had seen his promise while playing for Rising Pune Supergiant and taken him into the CSK line-up the subsequent year.
"When I was with RPS in 2017, I asked Mahi bhai on what aspects of the game I need to improve. He told me the areas that I was supposed to work on. He asked me to prepare properly as I would be playing for Chennai next year. After RPS lost the final to MI in 2017, he told me that you have been preparing well and you will play for Chennai next year."
Chahar also revealed how he was itching to bowl at the death for CSK in the Indian Premier League (IPL), but was hesitant to ask MS Dhoni why he was not being given the opportunity.
"Generally bowlers who are not pacy do not get to bowl at the death. But I was bowling at good pace that season, around 140kph and I was bowling 3-4 overs with the new ball and it was in mind why I was not given a chance at the death, why I was not getting the last few overs. Whomever I spoke to told me that I should bowl at the death as I was bowling well in the nets."
Chahar, who has the best bowling figures in T20I cricket, shared what MS Dhoni replied once the former could draw enough courage to pose that question to his captain.
"Finally one day, I asked Mahi bhai why you don't give me bowling at the death. He answered me in just 2 words, he said - 'I groom players'. He just told those two words which I may not have understood at that time but now I understand what he meant. He gave me the confidence by bowling me in the initial overs and once I was set, then he gave an opportunity to bowl at the death. Because of that I can now bowl confidently at any stage of the innings."
Deepak Chahar on MS Dhoni's strict words during an IPL match
Deepak Chahar was also questioned on the scolding he received from MS Dhoni for bowling 2 consecutive no-balls (beamers) during an IPL match against Kings XI Punjab.
The Rajasthan pacer revealed that those deliveries were part of a well thought out plan against Sarfaraz Khan, although his execution went awry.
"It was the same match in which it was decided the previous day on who would be bowling at the death. I tried to bowl a slower ball but it turned out to be a no-ball and the same thing happened with the next delivery. It was actually a plan against Sarfaraz Khan since he plays the yorker well, he plays the scoop shot well. But he struggles to hit in the front if the pace is less. If it had been any other batsman I would have bowled the yorker only. Unfortunately both the slower ones slipped out of my hand. I was feeling that since I had delivered 2 no-balls I would not get to bowl again."
Chahar revealed the interaction he had with MS Dhoni at that moment, and how he rebounded from the horrendous start to the over.
"Mahi bhai came to me and obviously he was angry. He told me that I talk outside the ground as though I know everything and my mind stops working the moment I step on the field. But I was not listening to him since I was feeling that my death bowling career is finished after delivering those 2 no-balls. But when the umpire told that those deliveries were not dangerous as they were slower balls and I could bowl again I regained my senses, and I thought that I should bowl the remaining balls well. Then that over turned out very good."
On a lighter note, Chahar also said that MS Dhoni would be the best-suited player in the Indian team to play the character of Dharmaraj Yudhishtir in the Mahabharata.
"Mahi Bahi is a cool and calm leader and also the eldest."
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