How MS Dhoni's 'never make decisions when angry' advice helped Ayush Mhatre lift U-19 World Cup
Ayush Mhatre, who captained India to the U-19 World Cup title, reflected on his interactions with Dhoni during IPL 2025, describing them as crucial to his growth as a young leader.
NEW DELHI: It has been two years since young batter Ayush Mhatre began his journey with Chennai Super Kings, and sharing the dressing room with MS Dhoni has taken his game to another level. Mhatre spoke about the influence Dhoni has had on his career, crediting him for shaping his leadership skills - something that also played a role in India’s Under-19 World Cup triumph earlier this year. Mhatre, who captained India to the U-19 World Cup title, reflected on his interactions with Dhoni during IPL 2025, describing them as crucial to his growth as a young leader.
“Last year, I got the opportunity to play under Mahi bhai. I was the captain of the India U19 that time. I spoke to him about captaincy after the IPL, I asked for his advice as it was my first time as a captain.
He advised me to stay calm on the ground and never make decisions when angry. He said, 'There will be frustration sometimes due to partnerships by opposition, but if you stay calm for that short period and just breathe and wait for it to pass, you will be able to make good decisions’,” he said in a video shared by IPL on Tuesday. The youngster also opened up about fulfilling a long-cherished dream of representing one of the IPL’s most successful franchises and the surreal experience of sharing the dressing room with players he once watched on television.
“It is a dream to play and represent a big franchise like CSK. And to play for them is a big deal. And so the opportunity to play alongside Mahi (M.