Legendary former Indian pacer Javagal Srinath described MS Dhoni as a 'yogi' in cricket, and opened up about his first meeting with the former Indian captain.
Former Indian fast bowler Javagal Srinath spoke about his initial impression of MS Dhoni recently. In an interview with Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, Srinath opened up on his first meeting with the former Indian captain, who announced his retirement on August 15.
Srinath met Dhoni merely months after he called his time in international career in 2003. It was India A's tour to Kenya where Srinath first met Dhoni.
“My first meeting with Dhoni was in 2003 post my career in Kenya. There was a triangular series between Kenya, India and Pakistan; in all the three league games all the way to the finals Dhoni won it single handedly," Srinath told Ashwin.
”At the end of it, the way he disdainfully played the spinners and fast bowlers as if he was playing school cricket."
Talking about his impact in international cricket, Srinath said that Dhoni is a 'yogi' of the game. “MS Dhoni is a yogi in cricket. The way he has understood the game, his detachment to results. The way he speaks and conducts himself and on every victory, he holds the cup, the most prized cups, he hands it to someone else and walks away,” said Srinath.
”When he looks into all these things, when things are not going well on the pitch and the team is struggling, his composure and body language as if nothing has happened, he can only be a yogi to be such a wonderful cricketer."
MS Dhoni announced his retirement after more than a year's absence from the game. He last played for India in the semifinal of the 2019 World Cup against New Zealand.
The former Indian captain, however, will return to action in the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League, which begins on September 19.
