Playing under Dhoni’s captaincy would be fun: Ravi Shastri

Former India cricketer and head coach Ravi Shastri opined that he would have relished his time under the captaincy of MS Dhoni. Notably, Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) legendary skipper Dhoni is currently leading the yellow outfit in the ongoing edition and is on the cusp of making it to the playoffs of the event.

Impressively, Dhoni’s Super Kings have won the coveted league title a record four times and the Champions League twice, making it one of the most-decorated sides in franchise cricket. Shastri, who is a huge admirer of the CSK skipper, stated that he would have enjoyed playing under Dhoni in the IPL.

“Mazaa aayega Dhoni ki captaincy mein khelna (Playing under Dhoni’s captaincy would be fun). His record as a captain forces you to put him right up,” Shastri responded to a fan in a conversation on Star Sports.

Shastri reveals how Dhoni took captaincy in 2007

The former India coach was part of the setup in 2007 as the manager as he recalled how the legendary wicketkeeper-batter shouldered the responsibility of leading the national side. He stated that the then skipper Rahul Dravid was injured and it was Dhoni’s terrific ability to read the game that earned him the captaincy role.

“Coolness is one thing but the way he reads and understands the game is terrific. I remember when I was a manager in 2007 and Dilip Vengsarkar was the selector. Rahul Dravid was injured in a practice session at the Eden Gardens, we were speaking and MS Dhoni’s name popped up. He asked me and I said, ‘This guy has the leadership quality’,” Shastri said.

“It didn’t take long and Dilip was on the same page. Dilip was an ideal selector at that time and he to had felt that this guy has got it in him. So, what he [Vengsarkar] was seeing was not just coolness but the ability to read the game, street-smart ability, personality, character… all these things come into play when you are looking for a good captain,” he added.