Ravichandran Ashwin spoke candidly about MS Dhoni's leadership qualities, revealing the traits that made him one of the greatest captains in the history of cricket. Ashwin said Dhoni's success was built on a simple but effective philosophy: doing the basics right.
Ashwin, who recently retired from international cricket, flourished under Dhoni's guidance in the Indian Premier League while playing for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and at international level. Recently, the off-spinner praised the former Indian captain's simple yet effective style, which made him one of the greatest captains of all time.
Ravichandran Ashwin reveals the simplicity behind MS Dhoni's remarkable captaincy
“It's a very simple question to answer,” Ravichandran Ashwin was quoted as saying by Sky Sports. In my opinion, I think he does most of the basic things right, and most of the other commanders are missing the most basic basic things, which makes the game seem more difficult for them.
The 38-year-old explained that Dhoni's leadership style was built on a strong foundation of fundamentals, something that many other leaders often ignore. Ravichandran Ashwin also revealed how MS Dhoni gave the bowlers the freedom to express themselves but also made sure they remained disciplined.
Ashwin explained that Dhoni would ensure that the bowlers adhered to the correct field positions, and if the bowler handed a loose ball to a new batsman, the legendary wicket-keeper-batsman would not hesitate to take it off.
He would have taken me out of bowling if: Ravichandran Ashwin
This strict adherence to basic principles sets Dhoni apart from other leaders and this is something not every leader follows these days, he added. Ashwin further explained: “For example, he wouldn't give the ball to a bowler. The first thing he would say is you take your field and your bowl to the field. He hated the fact that when the batsman comes to bat and you give me a loose delivery, he won't take me away from the bowling.”
If you give two terms and three terms in more than that, it is due. If you give a new hitter a ball to cut or drive, he will be angry. It made me feel where I was, and kept me away from bowling. This is the basic essence of cricket. Over the years, I've realized that people have forgotten the basics.
Highlighting MS Dhoni's brilliance as a captain, Ravichandran Ashwin credited the former Indian captain for Tushar Deshpande's success in IPL 2023. Under Dhoni's leadership, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) won a record-equalling fifth Indian Premier League title, in which Deshpande played A major role. role by taking 21 wickets in 16 matches last year.
Ashwin gives credit to MS Dhoni for Tushar Deshpande's success in the IPL
Ashwin pointed out that Dhoni's simple approach to the game has brought out the best in Deshpande. He explained that Dhoni was going to focus on some key objectives, such as getting hit on the longer side of the boundary and giving up fewer runs compared to the previous season. This not only helped relieve pressure on the player, but also encouraged them to focus on smaller, more achievable goals.
He signed off by saying, “There are certain aspects of the game that don't change, and MS Dhoni keeps it simple on those accounts. Last year in the IPL, he got Tushar Despande, and he got the best out of him. I know exactly what MS Dhoni would have told him.”