Veteran India spinner Yuzvendra Chahal acknowledges MS Dhoni’s influence on Indian cricket and also on Hardik Pandya’s leadership. Transitioned from being on the sidelines during the three-match ODI series against West Indies, veteran spinner Yuzvendra Chahal displayed his mastery in the first T20I against the same opponents.
Collaborating with longtime teammate Kuldeep Yadav, Chahal exhibited his bowling prowess in the opening T20I clash between Team India, led by Hardik Pandya, and West Indies at the Brian Lara Stadium. Chahal, who made his T20I debut during the tenure of MS Dhoni, left an immediate impact as he dismissed opener Kyle Mayers in the powerplay with his very first delivery.
The veteran bowler secured a couple of wickets in the absence of Rohit Sharma during India’s series opener against West Indies. As India’s highest wicket-taker in T20Is, Chahal is anticipated to be part of the playing XI for the deciding match against the Caribbean team on Sunday.
Having had the privilege of working with distinguished captains such as MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli, Chahal shared his insights on playing for the Indian cricket team under different leaders. When questioned about leading the bowling attack under Pandya’s captaincy, Chahal made a special reference to MS Dhoni.
“Mahi bhai (MS Dhoni) is the elder brother, followed by Virat, Rohit, and now Hardik” – Yuzvendra Chahal
He said: “I perceive it in this manner – it’s like having four siblings in a family. Mahi bhai (MS Dhoni) is the elder brother, followed by Virat, Rohit, and now Hardik.”
“The dynamics remain unchanged. On the field, everyone aims for the team’s victory. He (Hardik) provides us bowlers with liberty. Similar to the freedom we experienced before, Hardik grants us the same. We (the bowlers) can configure our own field,” Chahal conveyed during the pre-match press conference.
However, all-rounder Hardik Pandya shares a strong camaraderie with Dhoni, Kohli, and Rohit. Even Pandya has previously expressed his admiration for the two-time World Cup-winning captain, Dhoni.
With regular captain Rohit Sharma and former captain Virat Kohli having rested, Pandya is leading the Indian side in the ongoing five-match T20I series. Spinner Chahal further highlighted that skipper Pandya is also a dependable bowler in limited-overs cricket.
“Even Hardik is a dependable bowler; if the strategy falters, he contributes his own perspective. So, there aren’t significant shifts in leadership The bowler within the Team India setup consistently enjoys the necessary autonomy granted by the captain,” Chahal concluded.
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