The India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has revealed the story of one of the rarest moments in the cricket field, Mahendra Singh, who is known for his cool and calm nature as a captain and player, got furious during India’s 2010 tour to South Africa, where he went after the former pacer of the national team- Sreesanth.
Dhoni, during his captaincy period, led a team that had a mix of both youth and experience, whether it was the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, or Virender Sehwag, and others, and the most incredible thing was the way he handled them in those crunch moments.
Ravichandran Ashwin, who was part of the Protea tour, just before the start of the 2011 ODI World Cup at home, which India went on to win under Dhoni’s captaincy, recalled the moment when the captain of the blue brigade showed a different side of his character.
‘This time I can sense MS is angry’- Ravichandran Ashwin
There was a time when Dhoni used to say nothing and show zero expression in the middle, until very recently when he started to show anger to the bowler whenever they put up a very loose delivery to make the batter go for the shots and release the pressure.
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Ravichandran Ashwin remembered the time when MS Dhoni got furious over pacer Sreesanth during the middle of the South Africa tour in 2010. The incident took place during their limited-overs game in Port Elizabeth, when Sreesanth, even after being repeatedly asked by the captain to sit in the dugout for a massage in the dressing room, was ignoring him.
Ashwin, who was too in the reserves during the game, was carrying endless drinks to the wicket-keeper batter, who at a time asked him where the bowler was.
‘I tell him Sree is upstairs in the dressing room. He tells me to tell Sree he has to come down and sit with the other reserves.’ Ravichandran Ashwin penned an 184-page book, named ‘I Have The Streets- A Kutty Cricket Story’, co-authored by the senior journalist Sid Monga.
The Tamil Nadu-born remembered that time when he strolled into the dressing room to pass the captain’s message to the pacer, who stayed in the dressing room instead.
‘I return to my drink duties. The next time I have to go with a helmet.’ Ravichandran Ashwin wrote in the book. ‘This time I can sense MS is angry, and I have never seen him lose his cool. ‘Where is Sree? What is he doing?’ MS asks sternly.’
Quite funnily, Ashwin continued that the next time when he went to Dhoni for a change of helmet, the Indian captain asked him to tell the manager to book Sreesanth’s return ticket back home.
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‘I tell him he is getting a massage. MS doesn’t say anything. In the next over, he calls me to return the helmet. He is calm now.’ Ravichandran Ashwin narrated. ‘While giving me the helmet, he says, ‘Do one thing. Go to Ranjib sir. Tell him Sree is not interested in being here. Ask him to book his ticket for tomorrow so he can go back to India.’
Once the off-spinner told the message to the pacer, the latter sprinted down the stairs.
‘I am stunned. I’m not sure what to say. I am just staring at his face. MS goes, ‘What happened? You don’t understand English either now?’ Sree quickly gets up and gets dressed.’ Ravichandran Ashwin recollected. ‘Not only that, but now he assumes the drinks duties. The next time MS needs a drink, Sree makes sure he charges out.’
Ashwin will soon again play for India in the upcoming home two-match Test series against Bangladesh.