"Tomorrow I might not be available behind the wickets" - Shardul Thakur on MS Dhoni's adviceĀ
India and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) pacer Shardul Thakur opened up on what made it special to play under MS Dhoni's captaincy and alongside him in the team. He claimed that the legendary wicketkeeper-batter gave bowlers the freedom to work their plans out.
While Dhoni is considered a master tactician, Thakur revealed that the former Indian captain allows the bowlers to come up with a plan and then try and execute it. If that doesn't work, Dhoni brings his expertise to the table to try and get the best out of the situation.
At an event hosted by IISM, Shardul Thakur said about MS Dhoni:
"Playing with him has always been special because he allows us to grow. He allows us to come up with our own plan. So he will never spoon-feed us. He will say, 'Tomorrow I might not be available behind the wickets. What will you do? Go back to your room, think about your game, and come up with your plans, if it doesn't work then I will intervene.'"
Thakur also claimed that sometimes if the plans given by Dhoni also don't work, there's always 'God's plan', indirectly referring to destiny playing a role.
Shardul Thakur on MS Dhoni's legacy
Shardul Thakur also shed light on MS Dhoni winning the ICC T20 World Cup, the ODI World Cup, and the Champions Trophy, and how he backed the likes of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma during the early stages of their career.
"The legacy that he has left behind, three ICC Trophies, grooming so many youngsters. Even the current greats I would say Virat, and Rohit, everyone in their life had a time where they could have been dropped. But the great MS Dhoni backed them and what they did after 2012 onwards up until now," Thakur said at the same event.
Recently, Dhoni opened up on his future at CSK, claiming that the retention rules will help him decide what is best for the franchise.