India enjoyed their most successful tour to South Africa, as they won both the limited-overs series convincingly.
India won the ODI and T20I series after losing the Test series. The Men in Blue showed great courage to fight back after a tough Test series and bounced back in the limited-overs format.
However, much of the credit for India’s triumph in South Africa has been given to the spin-duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav.
The Chinaman said while Virat Kohli was the main contributor with the bat, but it was his work, as a captain and MS Dhoni’s instruction on the field that has resulted in a change in him.
Chahal put up match-winning performances consistently in the ODI series and picked up 17 wickets in the series.
Yadav has also credited Dhoni who is heard continuously guiding the spinners from behind the stumps, but the Chinaman revealed it is Kohli who strategises everything.
“What we have achieved in South Africa has a lot to do with the way Kohli bhai and Dhoni bhai guide us in the middle. While you can all hear Dhoni bhai constantly guiding us on the stump microphone, it is Kohli bhai who actually plans it all. It is a complete work of two individuals who are brilliant when it comes to first planning and then implementing the plans,”
The 23-year old also admitted if the Dhoni-Kohli duo hadn’t guided them they way they did, then the spin duo wouldn’t have been the leading wicket-takers.
“Credit has been given to us (Kuldeep and Chahal) for taking India home in the limited-overs series, but we couldn’t have been half as effective had it not been for the two senior pros guiding us. You need a skipper who backs you and believes in your ability to shine on the big stage. You think we could have been so successful if Kohli bhai had not given us the freedom to attack? I don’t think so.”
“My role is to attack and also abide by the directions given by the skipper. I don’t really give the wicket much importance. I am an attacking bowler, and I believe that if I can do my job, the wickets will come. Chahal telling me in Durban that the wicket had sharp turn gave me further confidence,”
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