Ravi Shastri : There is a lot of mutual respect between Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni
Ravi Shastri has revealed that there is a lot of mutual respect between former skipper MS Dhoni and present leader Virat Kohli when the duo play together for the national team. Shastri has also added that he has seen a lot of himself in the young Kohli as they’re both pretty aggressive.
Everyone knew that it was only a matter of time till U -19 World Cup winning captain Virat Kohli would step into the shoes of MS Dhoni, the 2011 ICC World Cup winning leader. The transition has been effortless for Kohli as he led the team to some impressive ODI and Test series wins against the likes of Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh over the last year. Dhoni has withdrawn to a role somewhat similar to that of an advisor, at least in the limited-overs version - to someone that Kohli can look up to in tough circumstances.
India’s chief coach Ravi Shastri claimed this was the secret to the duo’s successful chemistry. After Shastri received the 'Maharashtracha Abhiman' award during the 'Lokmat Maharashtrian of the Year Awards 2018' in Mumbai yesterday, he spoke about the mutual respect between the pair.
"MS is a legend and he can remain unfazed in any situation. Whether he gets out for zero or scores a hundred, whether he wins the World Cup with a six, he is the same. There is a lot of mutual respect that Virat and Dhoni share. Their relation is fantastic and whatever you read in the media might not be true. Virat will go to him (Dhoni) seeking his advice, that communication is tremendous from the team point of view," said Shastri when asked if they have had differences.
Shastri added that he and Kohli were pretty similar due to their aggressive approach to the game. Kohli’s dominance with the bat has been one of the key factors of India’s success in the past year.
"I do (see a lot of myself in Virat). Our mindsets are pretty similar, we are pretty aggressive, and we like to compete. And when someone has a mindset and the work ethic like Virat's, it is bound to rub off on the other players of the team, and that's is why India is having a great run at the moment," Shastri added.
Former Indian skipper Shastri said that he did not have any issues with sledging and he would advise his boys to give back to their opponents provided they do not cross a certain line.
"I have no issues with that (sledging). Absolutely no issues on that. If someone tells me something, he says one, I am going to tell the boys
