Yuzvendra Chahal recently shared a memory from a match where MS Dhoni, usually calm and composed, lost his cool on the field. The Indian spinner said it was the first time he had seen Dhoni shout and the moment stayed with him.
The incident took place in the third T20I of the 2017 series between India and England at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. After Chahal had dismissed England opener Sam Billings, Joe Root was the new batter. Root played a shot towards mid-off and called for a quick single but then denied. His partner Jason Roy was already halfway down the pitch.
A quick throw came from Virat Kohli and landed in Yuzvendra Chahal’s hands. Both batters were at the keeper’s end, but instead of removing the bails at the non-striker’s end, Chahal threw the ball towards the keeper and missed an easy run-out chance. This brought out MS Dhoni's wrath.
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Yuzvendra Chahal Recalls MS Dhoni’s Rare Outburst
Chahal admitted that Dhoni only gets visibly angry when he feels there is no other way to wake the team up. It was during one such match that Chahal saw the India legend lose his cool.
"Mahi bhai gets angry when he understands that things will not work without him scolding the players," Chahal said as quoted in a podcast with Raj Shamani.
He then recalled a specific moment from a match in which he had taken six wickets. In what was a brainfade moment, he missed a run-out opportunity, which angered Dhoni.
"Joe Root had just come in. He played a flick and Virat bhai made a great effort in the field and passed the ball to me. Both the batters were at the keeper's end. I threw the ball at that very end only and missed a run-out. Mahi bhai got very angry," Chahal recalled.
"Focus on Your Bowling" - Suresh Raina’s Timely Advice
After the missed chance and Dhoni’s reaction, Chahal was visibly shaken. But as he walked back to his mark, senior teammate Suresh Raina stepped in to settle him down.
"When I was walking back, Raina bhai told me to focus on my bowling. That was the first time I saw Mahi bhai angry," he added.
The 35-year-old is currently plying his trade in the County Championship Division-Two 2025 for Northamptonshire and recently bagged a six-wicket haul in the fixture versus Derbyshire.
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