"Zyada Sochna Nahi, Apne Chaar Ka Quota Khatam Kar Aur Chill Kar" - Yuzvendra Chahal Recalls MS Dhoni’s Words During His Most Expensive Spell

India leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has repeatedly credited former India captain, MS Dhoni, for the success he got in his initial years of international cricket when he and left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav ruled the roost in limited-overs cricket for India. Now he has recalled Dhoni’s chill words when he bowled his most expensive spell ever in T20Is.

The incident came in the 2018 tour of South Africa when during the Centurion T20I match, Chahal went for 64 runs against South Africa without picking up any wickets from his four overs. Heinrich Klaasen top-scored with a 30-ball 69 with seven sixes, helping the Proteas chase 189 in 18.4 overs. This was the costliest spell by an Indian bowler in the shortest format and the 10th costliest overall.

Chahal incidentally holds the record for the most expensive spell by an Indian in a World Cup game, when he went for 88 runs in 10 overs against England in the 2019 World Cup match.

I Know It’s Not Your Day, You Are Trying But It Isn’t Happening: Yuzvendra Chahal Recalls MS Dhoni Calming Him Down When He Was Going For Runs

MS Dhoni is known for helping out bowlers from behind the stumps and often walks up to them in order to share some advice or give encouragement if they are going for runs. Speaking to Ravichandran Ashwin on his YouTube show “DRS with Ash”, Chahal talked about how he was expecting some strategies from Dhoni when he called to talk to him between the overs.

He said:

“Once, in a match where I got hit for 64 runs in a T20I in South Africa, and (Heinrich) Klassen had hit me all around the park, Mahi bhai had told me to come around the wicket. I did that and he hit me for a six over the biggest boundary at mid-wicket. Then Mahi bhai came to me and I said, ‘Yes Mahi bhai, ab kya karna hai? (What should I do now?)’. He said ‘Kuch nahi, mai to waisehi aagaya tere paas. (Nothing, I just came to check upon you) I know it’s not your day, you are trying but it isn’t happening. Zyada sochna nahi, apne chaar ka quota khatam kar aur chill kar (Don’t think too much, just finish your four overs and chill).'”

Chahal also added that this incident taught him an important lesson about the ebbs and flows of international careers and also how a bowler should react to such situations.

He said:

“If at that time someone scolds you then your confidence level falls even lower. But he told me that it’s just one match. He said, ‘You did so well in ODIs, you won’t do well in every match, others are also playing.’ I also realized that in cricket sometimes you do well sometimes not and sometimes it’s just not your day. I also learned that when it’s not your day, you shouldn’t try too much and instead be economical and give others a chance to take wickets by building pressure.”

MS Dhoni retired from international cricket in 2020 and after his departure, both Chahal and Kuldeep saw a dip in their form and eventually lost their places in the Indian white-balls teams.

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