ICC World Cup 2023: Maheesh Theekshana Admires MS Dhoni's Captaincy, Says "He's A Fantastic Leader And..."

Sri Lankan bowler Maheesh Theekshana, who played a crucial role for MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023, admired the CSK skipper’s role in the franchise.

While giving an interview to Revsportz, Maheesh Theekshana was asked about Sri Lanka’s preparation for the upcoming ODI World Cup, and the 23-year-old said that they have a strong team and a lot of players know Indian pitches really well due to their participation in the IPL, which gives them an advantage in the tournament.

“You are right about ICC tournaments. We have often wondered why this is the case, and may be it is because these tournaments have a lot at stake and there is always that extra intensity. The platform is bigger and there are a lot many more people watching. You know the importance of these tournaments, and you want to do well. In 2011, we made the final. Now in 2023 we have a good team and a lot of the players know the Indian conditions really well. If we play to potential, there is no reason why we can’t go all the way,” told Maheesh Theekshana.

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While talking about the upper hand Sri Lankan players will have due to IPL, the Sri Lankan star bowler said that players like Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, and others have played on Indian pitches and that is why the players have an idea about the conditions.

“Yes, and what it does is it gives us first-hand knowledge. We play some of our games in Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Delhi and Lucknow, and a lot of us have played in these grounds during the IPL. Dasun [Shanaka] has played for Gujarat [Titans] in Ahmedabad, while Wanindu [Hasaranga] has played for RCB in Bengaluru. In my case, I have played in Delhi and Lucknow. What this means is we know these grounds, have an idea of the conditions, the boundaries and what all we can expect. It makes a serious difference going into a tournament like the World Cup,” Maheesh Theekshana added.

When the interviewer asked the Sri Lankan whether playing in fully packed stadiums during IPL would help them in the upcoming tournament. Maheesh said that Indian cricket fans are crazy throughout the IPL, he then added that even people in Sri Lanka have a similar love towards the sport, and believes that they will do well in the ODI World Cup in India.

“The passion for the game in India is crazy. And you see that all through the IPL. In Sri Lanka also, people love their cricket. So we get strong crowds in Sri Lanka as well. With the conditions almost similar in India and Sri Lanka, except in Dharamsala where it gets cold, there is no reason why we can’t do well in India during the World Cup,” Maheesh Theekshana further added.

His composure is something each one of us has benefitted from: Maheesh Theekshana on MS Dhoni

The interviewer also asked if playing under MS Dhoni helped him to handle pressure, the CSK star bowler said that captain cool’s composure had benefited the team. Maheesh added that every player in the Chennai-based franchise learned a lot from MS Dhoni just by having him around.

“MS Dhoni is a fantastic leader and captain. His composure is something each one of us has benefitted from. When you speak to someone like him and see how he handles pressure despite all the hype around, you know how it can or should be done. Not just me, each one of us in the Chennai team has learnt from having him around,” Maheesh Theekshana concluded.

Sri Lanka will start their ODI World Cup journey on October 7th against South Africa at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.