"Mahi bhai would always sit with juniors"- Deepak Chahar on how MS Dhoni treats his players at CSK
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) pacer Deepak Chahar hailed captain MS Dhoni for keeping the team atmosphere and environment light, getting the best out of his players, and taking care of all age groups.
Chahar recalled the time when he was new to the CSK setup and noticed how Dhoni ensured the youngsters in the team were not intimidated by the star players and how he made sure everyone was comfortable.
On the Breakfast with Champions show, here's what Chahar had to say about MS Dhoni's man-management:
“When I joined the CSK team, I noticed that during the team dinner, people are sitting in two-three tables. One was occupied by seniors, the overseas player had the other one and then there are juniors. The new players often hesitate to speak. Mahi bhai would always sit with juniors. That’s fixed."
Chahar also spoke about the lack of pressure that's forced upon the players by the Chennai management and added:
“The ambience is different. Like, everything is optional here. No one will say anything to you. No one will say ‘you go to practice or you go to the gym’. You are a professional cricketer. It’s your responsibility to see what’s best for you. You can practice if you want. Or do it tomorrow or don’t do it at all. You can rest if you want. However, you will have to perform on the ground. Everybody knows that. Nobody will blame you even if you lose the match. Mahi bhai (MS Dhoni) doesn’t say anything either. There is no pressure on anyone."
Deepak Chahar on the importance of financial security for players
Deepak Chahar opined that IPL contracts have helped instill fearlessness in Indian cricketers even when they're new to international cricket. He feels that since these players are financially secure, they can go to the biggest stage and perform without much pressure.
On this, Chahar stated:
"Also, you don’t have financial crisis. Today, youngsters don’t face any financial crisis before playing for India. They are already well-paid in the IPL. That’s why players like Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar (Yadav) can hit a six in the very first ball in international cricket. Or else, no one would have dared to hit a six on the very first ball. They think that ‘one ball is nothing, I have talent, I can earn money’"
Chahar has picked 12 wickets in 9 games for CSK in the IPL 2023 season and will be one of their crucial players in the final against the Gujarat Titans on Sunday, May 28.