It’s not a revelation when a bowler praises the legendary MS Dhoni on how he used to make life simple for them. The likes of Kuldeep Yadav have in the past admitted their task gets easier when Dhoni is behind the stumps.
While he arrived on the international stage as a destructive batter, Dhoni eventually became a popular captain who would go on to lead India to as many as three ICC trophies. Under him, India won the 2007 T20 World Cup, 2011 ODI World Cup and the 2013 Champions Trophy.
Pragyan Ojha, a former India spinner and a teammate of Dhoni, recalls how the latter would absorb pressure himself and leave his bowlers free to just concentrate on their bowling alone.
“I think the best part was the way he used to make sure that the pressure doesn’t come to us. That is something which really helped me. That is something I make sure that when a young person is playing, I make sure the pressure doesn’t mount on him. That is something which really helps you", Ojha told Hindustan Times in an interview.
Additionally, Dhoni would himself advise the bowlers on how the pitch is behaving and where to place fielders.
“I think he used to make things very simple. If you see all the spinners who have played along with him or under him, they used to enjoy his advice. He used to make things very easy for us," Ojha recalled.
“But he was one who used to take one part out of your system, like the field placement or maybe how the wicket is behaving. These are the things which he would help you out with. That is the reason why it was less of a burden on a bowler and that is what I enjoyed," he added.
Dhoni is expected to call time on his professional playing career after IPL 2023.
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