'MS Dhoni deserves 50% credit for Kuldeep and my success,' says Yuzvendra Chahal

Indian leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has credited MS Dhoni for the success that he and Kuldeep Yadav have enjoyed in international cricket. Part-time off-spinner Kedar Jadhav also gave utmost credit to MS Dhoni for the wickets he has taken in ODI cricket.

Chahal and Jadhav put forth their thoughts on various cricketing aspects in the latest episode of the Star Sports show Cricket Connected, including the influence of MS Dhoni on their careers.

On being asked about MS Dhoni's role in his success, Chahal had this to say -

"Mahi bhai deserves 50% credit for the success Kuldeep and I have enjoyed."

He narrated an incident where MS Dhoni's advice helped him get the better of Jean-Paul Duminy.

"When I got my first 5-wicket haul in South Africa, Duminy was batting and continuously employing the sweep shot. Mahi bhai told me to keep the ball on the stumps and not to try too much. I think after 3-4 overs I got him LBW."

Chahal added that a similar incident happened in New Zealand, where MS Dhoni's encouraging words helped him to dismiss Tom Latham.

"Similar thing happened to me in New Zealand, where Latham was playing one sweep after another against me. Mahi bhai told me not to change anything and let the singles come and eventually he got dismissed."

The leg-spinner also highlighted MS Dhoni's role during DRS reviews and the confidence he gave bowlers to go for the review.

"We get a lot of confidence, especially when it comes to DRS. He just asks us if the ball is within the stumps and then allows us to take it. We have got the confidence that if Mahi Bhai has asked us to take the DRS, the batsman would definitely be out."

A walk to remember 🦁 pic.twitter.com/8Qft4L1OqC

— Yuzvendra Chahal (@yuzi_chahal) June 14, 2020

Kedar Jadhav also attributed half of his wickets in international cricket to MS Dhoni's planning.

"Whatever wickets I have in international cricket, half of them have come because of his plans."

He cited an incident when MS Dhoni's quick work behind the wickets had helped the former get rid of Ross Taylor.

"I have one incident to narrate about the way I dismissed Ross Taylor in the 2019 ODI series against New Zealand. I had delivered a normal ball, Ross Taylor got beaten and lifted his leg slightly and in that small moment only Mahi bhai stumped him. So, I dedicate that wicket completely to Mahi bhai."

"The credit should go to Mahi bhai for the confidence he gave me that I can bowl. I had not bowled much in domestic cricket also. But that wicket and the faith that Mahi bhai had in me got me as a bowler." - Kedar Jadhav#Dhoni #MSDhoni #KedarJadhav #IPL pic.twitter.com/BVX1rSFbqz

— CSK Zealots (@CSK_Zealot) April 17, 2020

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Kedar Jadhav on his bonding with MS Dhoni

Kedar Jadhav has received plenty of encouragement from MS Dhoni

Kedar Jadhav also reflected on his bonding with MS Dhoni and recollected his first meeting with the former Indian captain.

"It started during India's tour to Zimbabwe in 2016. MS Dhoni had come along with the team as a captain. It was a young team. We met for the first time on the lunch table in India, before leaving for Zimbabwe."

The Maharashtra middle-order batsman narrated how MS Dhoni had ensured that he was at ease while talking to the latter.

"The ice-breaker came from MS Dhoni's side. When I had gone to Zimbabwe in 2015, I had scored a century and celebrated it with the Dabang step. So his first words to me were - 'Have you ever met Salman'. I told him that I had never met Salman and that is how he made sure that I would be free to talk to him."

He added that MS Dhoni always responded patiently to all his queries.

"So once he gave me the freedom, I used to always sit next to him and ask all the questions I had over the years and he used to answer very patiently."

Jadhav signed off by stating that the CSK captain was his former self at the franchise nets this year.

"At the CSK nets this year, I felt for the first time that Mahi bhai was batting with the same freedom that he had in the initial stages of his career. In terms of batting and fitness, he was just the same as 5-6 years back."