'I could have pushed myself...': Yuzvendra Chahal shares deep regret over MS Dhoni’s emotional last game for India

Yuzvendra Chahal, the Indian leg-spinner, recently spoke about a regret from his career: his performance in MS Dhoni's last game for India. Years after the 2019 World Cup semi-final, where India lost to New Zealand, he shared his thoughts. On the Raj Shamani podcast, Chahal recalled the important match, remembered by many fans because of Dhoni's run-out. Chahal, who played in the game, said that his bowling wasn't as good as it should have been.

"It was Mahi bhai's (MS Dhoni's) last match. I truly feel I could have done better," Chahal shared, his voice carrying a genuine tone of regret. "That feeling still stays with me. I could have pushed myself a bit more, maybe bowled a touch better, and perhaps given away 10-15 fewer runs."

In the 2019 World Cup semi-final, India needed 240 runs to win. Dhoni kept India in the game with a solid 50 off 72 balls, but his late run-out sealed their fate. Chahal struggled with the ball, conceding 63 runs in his 10 overs. His economy rate of over six made him India's most expensive bowler in that important match.

"Sometimes, when you're in the thick of it, things happen so fast you don't get a moment to truly think," Chahal reflected, attempting to explain the intensity of the situation. "I believe if I had been just a bit calmer, I could have performed even better. I certainly gave my all, but it was a semi-final, a massive stage, and on such occasions, you need to find that extra 10-15% within yourself."

Dhoni made his retirement from international cricket public in August 2020, a little more than a year after the World Cup semi-final. For Chahal, who first played for India under Dhoni in 2016, that match clearly meant a great deal to him. While Chahal had many years of good performances in white-ball cricket, the Indian team management didn’t pick him after August 2023, and he wasn’t even on the roster for the 2023 ODI World Cup. He did come back for the 2024 T20 World Cup, but he didn’t get to play in any games and later was off the team.

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