Former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) player Mohit Sharma has shed light on another side of his former captain MS Dhoni that many fans rarely see, and that is the fierce competitor hiding behind his calm exterior.

MS Dhoni is known for his strategic genius and calm demeanor, but he is someone who never thinks before insulting his teammates, as Mohit revealed. Mohit is one of those who played alongside the legendary Indian cricketer and knows that his leadership is characterised by a fiery intensity, especially when the game is on the line.

Mohit Sharma reveals MS Dhoni’s fiery side behind his calm demeanor

During his time at CSK, Mohit witnessed a violent incident where a relaxed MS Dhoni turned into a passionate motivator. Despite winning many ICC accolades and trophies for India, Dhoni’s drive for perfection is such that he is quick to point out mistakes on the field.

MS Dhoni, known for his sharp tongue, often targeted his bowlers with a force that left him stunned. Now, Mohit shared how MS Dhoni’s criticism was never personal, saying that the legendary captain would unleash his frustration when a bowler lost focus or reacted to the crowd noise instead of paying attention to the game.

These incidents were always intense and Dhoni followed them with his advice, reinforcing his belief that what happens on the field should stay there. The former Indian player played under Dhoni’s captaincy for CSK and picked up 69 wickets. Now, Mohit attributed his success to Dhoni’s relentless pursuit of excellence.

With every warning and insult, Dhoni was filled with passion and a will to win, and this philosophy has propelled his teams to glory. According to Mohit, those passionate moments with Dhoni only strengthened the bond between the captain and his players.

We have received a lot of insults from MS Dhoni: Mohit Sharma

The seasoned player claimed that he received a lot of abuse and received a lot of criticism from Dhoni during his two stints in the IPL between 2013-15 and in 2019.

Mohit Sharma on ‘2 Sloggers’ podcast: “We’ve had a lot of abuse from him. But he always says, ‘What happens on the field stays there. He’ll make you understand later, but he’ll never get angry with you.’ I’ve heard a lot from him.

“As a fast bowler, you tend to lose focus. Pay attention to what is happening behind you. If he waves at you and you are looking away. If someone in the crowd says something, you react. For things like this, I have received a lot of criticism from him.”

Meanwhile, Mohit shared a memorable incident involving Deepak Chahar that highlights the intense yet caring nature of Dhoni’s leadership. In 2019, during a match in Chennai, Deepak was having trouble with his knuckleball, which was either a full toss or a mishit, resulting in a boundary.

‘You’re not stupid, I’m stupid’

Dhoni immediately advised him not to use that delivery again, to which Deepak agreed. However, after a few balls, he tried to bowl the knuckleball once again, but it went over the batsman’s head. After the over, Dhoni walked up to Deepak, put his arm around his shoulders and spoke to him.

Later, CSK teammates asked Deepak what had happened, to which he revealed that Dhoni had shared some choice words like swear words in frustration but concluded with a humorous twist when Dhoni said, “Bewakoof tu nahi hai, bewakoof main hu (You are not the fool, I am).”