In an exclusive interaction with CricTracker, Rahul Chahar opened up about the contrasting leadership styles of MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma, highlighting how each captain brought a unique approach to leading the team. He emphasised that freedom is the most important aspect for a spinner, as it builds confidence and allows bowlers to execute their skills effectively without fear.

Chahar also reflected on his memorable bowling spell against Dhoni in IPL 2024, as well as an incident from IPL 2020 when he dismissed the former India captain after being hit for a six. He explained how trust from the leadership during those moments gave him the belief to stay attacking and stick to his plans.

Speaking about the most valuable advice he received from the former Indian captains, Chahar revealed that confidence was the common lesson shared by all three. He noted that Dhoni, Kohli, and Rohit consistently encouraged him to keep his head up, irrespective of the situation, reinforcing the importance of self-belief in high-pressure scenarios.

You played with legendary players MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma. How do you differentiate these three captains?

I think everyone's style is different. So, all three are different. Obviously, all three are great captains. But all three have different styles. Some are calm. Some are aggressive. But one thing that is similar in all three is that no matter how junior you are, they don't consider anyone as a junior. They treat you like a brother. I still remember whether it was Virat or Rohit, they always told me to bowl well. So, they never put pressure on me. I never thought that he was a senior or junior. They always gave me full confidence.

Which captain, according to you, understands the spinners and gives them freedom to execute their plans?

I think freedom, in the Indian team, whether it's captain Virat bhai or Rohit bhai, or anyone else, they give you freedom. You can't put anyone under pressure. You have to give them freedom. But I play under Rohit bhai, then yes, like, I remember, sometimes, if there was a sixer on the ball, he used to come, he doesn’t say anything. He used to say, come on, do it. So, like, a bowler needs that freedom. I remember we had a match. It was a quarter-final or semi-final. In Delhi, I think. In 2020. So, in that match, I conceded 30 runs in two overs. My neck was down. Rohit bhai boosted my confidence. So, a bowler needs that kind of confidence.

Bowling the death over against MS Dhoni in 2024—where does that rank in your IPL memories?

No, obviously, I can never forget that over because it was the 19th over, and I conceded only two runs. At that time, as they say, when you’re bowling, don’t think about which batsman you’re bowling. I used to focus on giving the ball a good turn, watching it till the end, and making sure no runs were conceded, so that I wouldn’t break the captain’s trust. So yes, I can never forget that over.

Looking back at 2020, you once dismissed Dhoni in Sharjah after he hit you for a six—can you let us know what went through your mind after that wicket?

I think their team was already in a bad situation—around five wickets had fallen. So we had the freedom to toss the ball up. Even if a six was conceded, no one would have said anything. We had plenty of runs on the board, and they were already behind, which gave me the confidence to take that risk.

Because of that freedom, we managed to control the game. The season was going well, so it was all about confidence. If the season had been going badly, or if it had been a high-pressure match, I obviously wouldn’t have had the courage to bowl that way.

What’s the best piece of advice you received from legends like MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma?

I think the main thing is confidence. Whether it’s a batsman or a bowler, if a player doesn’t believe in himself, how can he expect others to believe in him? They used to say that no matter what happens, your head should never go down. If your head drops, the batsman senses that pressure immediately. I learned this from all three of them, and interestingly, all three shared the same belief.