Former West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo has spoken about his close relationship with MS Dhoni, reflecting on the trust and clarity that defined their time together at Chennai Super Kings. The former West Indies all-rounder described Dhoni as a “brother from another mother”, highlighting how the former India captain’s leadership helped players focus on their strengths during CSK’s most successful IPL years.
Speaking about his time under Dhoni, Bravo explained how the former India captain’s leadership style stood out for its simplicity and confidence in players. Recalling his experiences on the ‘Beard Before Wicket’ podcast, Bravo highlighted how Dhoni consistently backed him to focus on what he did best, rather than asking him to do more than his role demanded.
“One time he stopped me from diving in the field and said my four overs were more important than saving four runs,” Bravo recalled.
“After that, I started fielding in the circle. That is the kind of thing he does. He knows what you are good at and wants you for that reason. He does not want you to try to be anybody else.”
Bravo went on to describe a moment early in a match when Dhoni’s trust in him became clear.
“In my first over, he asked me about my field. I told him what I wanted, and after that moment, he never told me anything about field placement again. I felt he trusted me completely. From there on, we called each other brother from a different mother. He just allowed me to be me.”
The former CSK all-rounder also praised the environment created by Dhoni and long-time head coach Stephen Fleming, crediting them for allowing players to express themselves without fear of judgment.
“They are not judgmental. Their moods do not change whether you perform or not. They are very consistent with how they treat players. That is the uniqueness of that franchise,” Bravo said.
Bravo played for CSK across two stints, from 2011 to 2015 and again from 2018 to 2022, winning four IPL titles with the franchise under Dhoni’s captaincy in 2011, 2018, 2021 and 2022. His association with the Super Kings extended beyond his playing career, as he served as the team’s bowling coach during the 2023 IPL season.
In 2025, Bravo took on a mentoring role with Kolkata Knight Riders, replacing Gautam Gambhir after the former India opener became India’s head coach.
India Today
