Former Indian cricket team spinner Pragyan Ojha recalled his playing days under the captaincy of MS Dhoni and how the veteran wicket-keeper batsman ‘made things simple' for him and other bowlers in the side. Dhoni has attained legendary status when it comes to his captaincy and over the years, a number of his teammates has praised him for his team management skills. In an exclusive interview with Hindustan Times, Ojha said that several bowlers (including him) benefitted from Dhoni's in-field advices and the field placement was also crucial in picking many wickets during that period.
"I think he used to make things very simple. If you see all the spinners who have played along with him or under him, they used to enjoy his advice. He used to make things very easy for us. As a bowler, you have to think about your own bowling, you have to think about your fielding, you have to think about the batsman, you have to think about the conditions," he said.
"But he was one who used to take one part out of your system, like the field placement or maybe how the wicket is behaving. These are the things which he would help you out with. That is the reason why it was less of a burden on a bowler and that is what I enjoyed," Ojha added.
Dhoni earned the nickname ‘Captain Cool' for his calm demeanour on the field and over the years, Ojha explained that he made sure that the pressure was never too much for the side at any point.
"I think the best part was the way he used to make sure that the pressure doesn't come to us. That is something which really helped me. That is something I make sure that when a young person is playing, I make sure the pressure doesn't mount on him. That is something which really helps you."