'I will pick him in IPL, if he…': CSK skipper MS Dhoni's hilarious conversation with Afghanistan star
Many players, both from India and abroad, have been nurtured by Dhoni during their time in the Indian Premier League.
Former India captain and CSK captain MS Dhoni has served as a mentor and role model for numerous aspiring cricketers. Many players, both from India and abroad, have been nurtured by Dhoni during their time in the Indian Premier League and have subsequently made a name for themselves in international cricket.
Asghar Afghan, the former captain of Afghanistan, shared an intriguing anecdote about a conversation he had with Dhoni regarding the admiration that fellow Afghan player Mohammad Shahzad holds for the Indian wicket-keeper batter. Afghan recounted that this conversation occurred after the thrilling tied match between India and Afghanistan in the 2018 Asia Cup.
“After the tied match, I had a long chat with MS Dhoni. He is a superb captain and a god’s gift to Indian cricket. He is a nice human being. We spoke about Mohammad Shahzad a lot. I told Dhoni bhai that Shahzad is your big fan. Dhoni said ‘Shahzad has got a big tummy and if he loses 20 kg, I will pick him in the IPL’. But when Shahzad returned to Afghanistan after the series, he gained 5 more kgs (laughs),” he said.
Asghar also shared his thoughts on the exhilarating experience of playing against India, describing it as the pinnacle of his career.
“The tied match of the 2018 Asia Cup was the best moment for me. That was the best match. Both Afghanistan and Indian fans were in tension. India needed seven runs to win in the last over and Afghanistan needed one wicket to win the match. Rashid bowled the last over.
“When three deliveries were remaining, Jadeja was on strike. Nabi and Rashid came and said, ‘Captain. bring all the players inside the circle or close to Jadeja’. India needed 1 off two balls. I decided to place Najib (Najibullah Zadran) towards mid-on. I told Rashid to bowl leg break and Jadeja was out caught to Najib towards mid-wicket. Rashid was so happy, he hugged me. I knew Jadeja would make some room and (try to) smash the ball and would end up giving the catch. And he did the same. I will give credit to Rashid who bowled well and as per the plan,” he said.
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