- By Vishal Pushkar
- Mon, 17 Jul 2023 10:53 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
JE Sports Desk: Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal is among the most cheerful personalities irrespective of whether he plays for India or his IPL franchise. His antics on and off the field often gain attention from cricket fans and fellow cricketers. However, Chahal has named that one cricketer whose presence makes him tongue-tied no matter what mood he is in. The cricketer is none other than former captain MS Dhoni.
"He is only person, unke saamne aate hi meri bolti bandh ho jaati hai [The moment he comes infront of me, I go silent]. I don't speak a lot irrespective of the kind of mood I am in. I just sit still and reply only if Mahi bhai asks something. Otherwise, I just keep quiet," Chahal said in an interview with Ranveer Allahbadia.
Also Read: No phone call from RCB - Chahal shares how he was hurt after his non-retention in 2021
Chahal going silent in front of the Dhoni reflects the kind of respect he has for his former captain. The 32-year-old spinner also went on to share a story where Dhoni showed trust and comforted Chahal during his "off day" where he had conceded 64 runs against South Africa in a T20 match in Centurion.
"We were playing a T20 match against South Africa in Centurion. For the first time, I was hit for 64 runs in four overs. [Heinrich] Klaasen was hammering me, so he asked me whether I would bowl round the wicket. I said okay, but then Klaasen hit me for a six," said Chahal.
"I was walking back when Mahi bhai came to me and told me, 'aaj tera din nahi hai, koi baat nahi' [Today is not your day, it's okay]. But he told me that the five balls that I have left, I should try and not concede a boundary on those as that will help the team. From that experience, I realized that even if you have an off day, you can still support the team," he added.
Also Read: No one in the Indian team can beat me in Chess, quips Chahal
The wily spinner has been part of 72 ODIs and scalped 121 wickets. Considered a veteran of 75 matches, Chahal has taken 91 wickets. His stats in the IPL confirms his dominance over most batters, as he has played 145 IPL matches and took 187 wickets, with the best figures of 5/40.