Home Cricket Featured ‘Don’t give me advice until I ask,’ former IPL coach reveals his first conversation with MS Dhoni

‘Don’t give me advice until I ask,’ former IPL coach reveals his first conversation with MS Dhoni

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‘Don’t give me advice until I ask,’ former IPL coach reveals his first conversation with MS Dhoni

While recalling his first meeting with MS Dhoni, former Rising Pune Supergiant coach Prasanna Agoram has revealed that the former told him to not give advice until he asks for it. Agoram, a senior performance analyst coach, has worked with a few IPL franchises and the South Africa cricket team.

The most capped player in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL), MS Dhoni will embark on his 15th season when Chennai Super Kings (CSK) begin their title defence against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the opening game of the 2022 season. Dhoni has played 12 seasons for the Yellow Army so far and moved to Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS) when CSK was banned for IPL 2016 and 2017.

Dhoni captained RPS in 2016 but played under Steven Smith in 2017. During the 2016 season, RPS hired a performance analyst coach Prasanna Agoram. Prior to his appointment, Agoram worked with a few IPL franchises and the South Africa cricket team as well.

Recalling his early days with Dhoni at RPS, Agoram revealed that the four-time IPL-winning captain did not want advice until he asked for it himself.

“When I had the opportunity to work with Mahendra Singh Dhoni for Pune Super Giants in IPL 2016, the first day we met he said, ‘Let’s have a chat.’ We were in the Pune Stadium and he was about to put his pads on. He asked if he could get me a filter coffee. ‘Yes please,’ I replied. He called the guys there and gave a wink to get a filter coffee, and then continued chatting with me,” Agoram explained while writing in his column for Cricbuzz.

“Look, I know you have a lot of experience in this field and that players like you, and the coach Stephen Fleming got you on board. It’s a pleasure to work with you,” he said. “Give all the info and strategies to the coach and the players. Get the strategy meetings done with the players along with the coach, but don’t expect me to be there and also don’t give me any advice until I ask you. But mark a copy on the email on all your communications with the coach and players,” he added.

RPS had a terrible outing in IPL 2016, with only 5 wins from 14 matches that forced them to finish at 7th place on the points table. As a result of RPS’ below-par runs Dhoni was replaced by Steven Smith. Under Smith’s leadership, they played the final of IPL 2017.

Dhoni returned as CSK captain in 2018 and captained them to their third title win. They emulated their heroics last year with a win over KKR in the final.

Just before the start of IPL 2022, Dhoni stepped down as CSK’s captain and will be playing under Ravindra Jadeja. It will be for the first time that Dhoni will play under a new skipper in IPL for the Yellow Brigade.