"One of those captains who plays the card in front of him" - When an Indian legend gave an interesting insight into MS Dhoni's leadership
Recently retired Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin blossomed under MS Dhoni's leadership in the early years of the Indian Premier League. He was part of the Chennai Super Kings franchise from 2008 to 2015. The 38-year-old will reunite with Dhoni during IPL 2025. He was purchased by his original franchise at the mega auction for an impressive ₹9.75 crore.
Ashwin announced an unexpected retirement from international cricket on Wednesday, December 18, calling time on an illustrious career, which saw him pick 765 wickets in 287 matches across formats at an average of 25.80. Apart from playing under Dhoni for CSK, Ashwin also flourished under the seasoned keeper-batter's leadership in international cricket.
In an interview to ESPNcricinfo in 2021, Ashwin shared some interesting insights on Dhoni's leadership style. He had said:
"There weren't any clear strategies for the final. MS (Dhoni) doesn't discuss strategies elaborately. He likes to keep it really simple. He is one of those captains who plays the card in front of him, backs his players, and has his own set of plans for the particular day."
Ashwin also credited the former CSK captain for Suresh Raina's brilliant performances in the IPL at his peak. According to Ashwin, Dhoni gave the aggressive southpaw complete freedom to go after the bowling, which allowed Raina to flourish into a match-winner in the T20 league.
"When it came to our batsmen, a lot of them were worried about going after the bowling from ball one, but Suresh Raina wasn't, because he really blossomed under MS. He didn't have to think and wait for the 20th over - that was MS's role," the veteran off-spinner had said.
"What really worked for Suresh in my opinion is the freedom with which he played under MS. He knew that MS could always cover up towards the back end, so he didn't have to think about closing a game out. He was constantly looking to be the aggressor and take the challenge to the opposition. Whenever I saw him bat, I saw that sense of freedom," he had elaborated.
Raina ended his IPL career with 205 matches, scoring 5,528 runs at an average of 32.51 and a strike rate of 136.73, with one hundred and 39 fifties.
What is Ravichandran Ashwin's record in the IPL?
Ashwin has featured in 212 IPL games and claimed 180 wickets at an average of 29.82 and an economy rate of 7.12, with a best of 4-34. Apart from CSK, he has also represented, Rajasthan Royals, Punjab Kings, Rising Pune Supergiant and Delhi Capitals.