Muttiah Muralitharan, a former Sri Lankan off-spinner who is also a former CSK player lauded his skipper for never admonishing their bowlers publicly. Muttiah Muralitharan has said that MS Dhoni never fails to appreciate bowlers if they had bowled a good delivery even if it goes for a six.
He in fact shared experiences from his career with Sri Lanka and in IPL with CSK during an interaction with Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin during the latter’s YouTube show ‘DRS with Ash’.
Muttiah Muralitharan Shares Experience Of Playing Under MS Dhoni
Ravichandran Ashwin asked Muttiah Muralitharan about experiences while playing under MS Dhoni’s captaincy in CSK(Chennai Super Kings), and the present SRH (Sunrisers Hyderabad) mentor responded that the 2007 T20 World Cup-winning captain MS Dhoni’s methods were spot on even though he was relatively inexperienced as captain than other franchises captain in that period.
“Definitely he was a young captain, I would say. It was in the 2007 World Cup that he captained and won.”
The CSK captain MS Dhoni allows the bowlers to set their own field placements and would intervene only for unexpected results.
“But his theories are very nice to see. Because he will give the ball to the bowler and tell him to set the field and bowl. If it wasn’t working, then he would ask them to give a chance to the field he sets.”
MS Dhoni was the face of Chennai Super Kings for the first eight editions of the league, leading them to two titles (2010 & 2011) and four runner-up finishes. He then became the first player to be drafted by Rising Pune Supergiant in the ninth edition of the league.
And, he once again became the first player to be retained by CSK ahead of the IPL Player Auction 2018. The 2018 season of the league had a fairytale ending with another glistening silverware added to the trophy cabinet of the Chennai Super Kings.
Muttiah Muralitharan says MS Dhoni never reprimands bowlers in public:
Muttiah Muralitharan who is also the highest wicket-taker in Test cricket’s history reveals that MS Dhoni applauds by clapping the bowlers for bowling well despite the ball going for six.
“He will clap if a good ball gets hit for a six. He will tell the bowler that it’s a good ball even if the batsman had hit you for a six. Batsmen too have the talent.”
He added further that MS Dhoni never reprimands bowlers publicly and instead advises them face to face which contributes to his success as skipper.
“So with those kinds of appreciations, he will call you alone to tell you what’s needed, instead of doing it in public. Because of those qualities, he has been a successful captain”