The former India and CSK pacer recalled when he got confused in following MS Dhoni’s orders and faced his captain’s wrath. MS Dhoni is known for his calm and composed demeanour, but there have been instances when even the great Captain Cool… well… lost his cool. Over the years, the theory that Dhoni has always had his nerves in check has been debunked several times, including admissions from the former skipper himself. Still, with time, instances of Dhoni losing his cool keep emerging, with former India cricketer Mohit Sharma lifting the lid off an unheard tale. Mohit and Dhoni have played a lot of cricket together for the Indian team, notably the 2015 World Cup and Chennai Super Kings in the IPL. However, what transpired during a Champions League game for CSK has remained stuck in Mohit’s mind, as he witnessed first-hand one of Dhoni’s rare outbursts.
“I had a lot of moments. Mahi bhai has a cool and calm aura. You don’t expect him to lose his cool. Being a young guy, you get excited when he loses his cool at you. There was a moment in the CLT20 against the Kolkata Knight Riders, Mahi bhai called Ishwar Pandey to bowl, but I thought he called me. I started my run-up, but Mahi bhai said he didn’t call me to bowl, and he tried calling Ishwar. The umpire said I have to continue bowling as I had started my run-up. He lost his cool at me and abused me. I took Yusuf [Pathan] bhai’s wicket on the first ball. During the celebration, Mahi bhai was still hurling abuses (laughs),” Mohit told CricTracker in an exclusive interaction.
“At the same time, I had a lot of off-field moments [with him]. He is someone who loves to teach things. Every time you sit with him, you learn something in life, not just about the sport. He teaches how cricket can make a kind human.”
Mohit Sharma cherishes his time with Dhoni and CSK
Dhoni and Mohit’s IPL association lasted several years until the tables turned in IPL 2023. Playing for the Gujarat Titans in the final, Mohit was up against his old team, bowling the final over to Ravindra Jadeja. With 1o required off two balls, Mohit and GT were fancying their chances of a win, but Jadeja’s brilliance saw him smash a six and four to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat for CSK and leave Mohit crestfallen. Still, the veteran India quick hasn’t forgotten all the wonderful times spent with CSK and Dhoni in particular.
“One good thing about Mahi bhai is that he always tries to keep things very simple. When we’re in the huddle, we always talk about common sense. Because nowadays, common sense is not so common. For example, if it’s a bumpy field, we’ve to be aware, we don’t have to rush towards the ball. If there is air, how to bowl. 99 percent of the time, he always talks about the controllables and sticks to the plan,” added Mohit.
