"He is massive for cricket, massive for Chennai" – Lungi Ngidi in awe of MS Dhoni
South African fast bowler Lungi Ngidi has showered praise on MS Dhoni, hailing the aura that accompanies him. The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) cricketer recently talked about the experience of playing for the franchise.
Lungi Ngidi has been part of the CSK franchise since IPL 2018. Although he missed the 2019 edition due to injury, 2020 saw him return and play four games under MS Dhoni.
In an interview with ESPNcricinfo, Lungi Ngidi admitted MS Dhoni’s aura caught him off guard when he first came to Chennai. He said:
“When I first arrived at Chennai, you'd walk out and you'd hear the crowd chant his name, you would get goosebumps and they're not even talking about you. He is massive for cricket, massive for Chennai. Like everyone says, Captain Cool."
Lungi Ngidi has had a great time playing under MS Dhoni. He was an integral part of the team that returned to the IPL with a bang, as CSK won the title in 2018. Ngidi played seven games that year, picking up 11 wickets for the Men in Yellow.
While everyone talks about MS Dhoni’s tremendous ability with the bat and gloves, it was another aspect of the 39-year-old's game that left Lungi Ngidi impressed.
“He's been very consistent; that's the one thing I was amazed with the most. His consistency and how he carries himself behaves as a captain. For me, that was one of the most amazing things,” Ngidi added.
MS Dhoni is known for his calm demeanor on the pitch. Nicknamed "Captain Cool," the former Indian skipper is one of the most balanced personalities on the cricket field.
But Lungi Ngidi has revealed how MS Dhoni is always aware of what his players need.
“Never showing too much emotion but when you'd need to get a bit of a pick-up talk from the captain, he'd give it to you. Very amazing man and very happy to be playing under him," the 24-year-old said.
Lungi Ngidi looks forward to playing under MS Dhoni
Lungi Ngidi played just four games last year and will once again be part of the CSK franchise in IPL 2021.
With CSK bringing in players like Moeen Ali, Krishnappa Gowtham and Cheteshwar Pujara, Ngidi looks forward to playing under Dhoni’s tutelage once again.
"The combination is going to be interesting to see. Who plays, who misses out but the coaching staff and the captain get along very well and they've always got plans to fix things. So, I'm really excited to see how the guys are going to get it this year," he concluded.