Indian leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal recently opened up about the influence legendary wicketkeeper-batsman MS Dhoni had on his bowling while recounting an incident from a T20I game against South Africa in 2018.
Speaking to ace off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin during a freewheeling conversation on his YouTube channel 'DRS with Ash', Chahal recalled how Dhoni came up to him and offered support when he was being taken to the cleaners.
The game Chahal was referring to was a T20I against the Proteas back in 2018 where Henrich Klassen teed into the leg-spinner and smashed him to all corners.
The wicketkeeper-batsman smashed a match-winning 30-ball 69 which included as many as 7 sixes and just three fours.
"Once, in a match where I got hit for 64 runs in a T20I in South Africa, and (Heinrich) Klassen had hit me all around the park, Mahi bhai had told me to come around the wicket. I did that and he hit me for a six over the biggest boundary at mid-wicket. Then Mahi bhai came to me and I said, 'Yes Mahi bhai, ab kya karna hai? (What should I do now?)'. He said 'Kuch nahi, mai to waise hi aagaya tere paas. (Nothing, I just came to check upon you),” Chahal revealed.
"I know it's not your day, you are trying but it isn't happening. Zyada sochna nahi, apne chaar ka quota khatam kar aur chill kar (Don't think too much, just finish your four overs and chill).'"
Later, Chahal also suggested that Dhoni's words of support dawned a realisation for him that one can't perform at the peak of their powers in every game.
"If at that time someone scolds you then your confidence level falls even lower. But he told me that it's just one match. He said, 'You did so well in ODIs, you won't do well in every match, others are also playing.' I also realized that in cricket sometimes you do well sometimes not and sometimes it's just not your day. I also learned that when it's not your day, you shouldn't try too much and instead be economical and give others a chance to take wickets by building pressure," he continued.
Klaasen's knock helped South Africa gun down India's total of 188/4 in just 18.4 overs. However, India stormed back in the decider to claim the series 2-1.
Chahal has endured a poor time in white-ball cricket in the last 12-15 months and the upcoming series against the West Indies will be crucial to his fortunes as far as his international future is concerned.