MS Dhoni's advice helped me settle while bowling: Kuldeep Yadav

India defeated South Africa by six wickets in the first of the six-match ODI series at Kingsmead in Durban on Thursday. It was a tremendous effort from the skipper Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane who batted beautifully and stitched a match-winning partnership of 189 runs in the chase. Prior to that, it was the wrist-spinning duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav who wreaked havoc in the opposition camp. However, the latter has credited MS Dhoni for advising him during the tough times on the field during the game.

Kuldeep returned with the sensational match-figures of 3/34 and Chahal too scalped a couple conceding only 45 runs during his spell. It was a commendable effort from them given that this was their first match in South Africa. It also helped India restrict the hosts to a below-par total despite a heroic knock from Faf du Plessis who did the bulk of scoring for his team.

Mahi bhai does 50 percent of your work

Kuldeep Yadav, during the post-match press conference, was all praise of MS Dhoni as his advice from behind the wickets has always helped him. He also admitted that he was confused how to bowl as it was his first experience playing in the country but the veteran allowed him to settle with his inputs during his spell. “Actually I was confused a bit what I should bowl because I am playing in South Africa for the first time and it was a new experience for me,” he said.

“The wind was good and the ball was drifting so I was confused what to bowl, and which variation to use. So I was asking Mahi bhai (Dhoni) and he told me ‘bowl as you are bowling’. It is good that he keeps advising from behind the wickets, it gets easier,” Kuldeep was quoted as saying by PTI. He also stressed the fact that the experience of Virat and Dhoni is doing wonders to the fortunes of the Indian cricket.

“When you have two legends, Virat (Kohli) and Mahi, one is leading the team and the other has led the team, it is helpful. As a spinner, Mahi bhai does 50 per cent of your work because he has played so much cricket, he reads the batsmen easily,” the 23-year-old concluded.

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