MS Dhoni has captained Ashwin for both India and Chennai Super Kings.
Off-spinner R Ashwin doesn't feel hesitant in experimenting on the field with the ball and credited MS Dhoni for installing him with courage. The ex-Chennai Super Kings bowler, who played under Dhoni for quite a long time, said it is the former India captain who always encouraged him to try out new things and never hold himself back.
In a chat with Sportskeeda, Ashwin acknowledged the support he got from Dhoni in the Indian cricket team, as well as the Indian Premier League.
“This is a story a lot of people might not associate with MS Dhoni but I’d like to bring this to the surface. Many times, when people question MS Dhoni about how he does it, he talks about the process and doesn’t divulge a lot of his secrets."
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“But the one person that has encouraged me day-in-day-out in terms of trying new things is MS Dhoni,” Ashwin said during a live chat.
Dhoni has good eyes for talent and he identifies them quickly. In Ashwin's case, he not only spotted his abilities, but the CSK captain also helped him grow.
“He saw that streak in me early on, for both CSK and India. People always say that I try too much and experiment too much. I’ve also questioned myself and MS Dhoni has constantly told me that my biggest strength is that I can bowl anything. He said that at the end of the day, I’m bloody good at what I do,” he added.