Yuzvendra Chahal reveals Virat Kohli's role behind wrist spinners' success in South Africa

Yuzvendra Chahal revealed captain Virat Kohli gives the team's wrist-spinners enough freedom to bowl to their strengths, which according to him has been the reason for their success in South Africa.

Chahal also lauded Dhoni's contribution from behind the wickets in making things easier for the spinners in the limited-over formats.

Also read: 'Laughable' lunch break during 2nd ODI leaves Virat Kohli perplexed 

Chahal entered record books on Sunday, February 4, when he became the first spinner to pick up a five-for against South Africa in the "Rainbow Nation". The 27-year-old's 5 for 22 helped India bowl out the hosts for their lowest total at home -- 118 and clinch an emphatic nine-wicket win in Centurion.

Left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav chipped in with three wickets as South Africa failed the spin test for the second successive time to go 2-0 down in the six-match ODI series.

Chahal and Kuldeep also picked up five wickets between them in the first ODI on Thursday, February 1, helping India clinched a six-wicket win.

"Virat bhaiya lets us [Kuldeep and Chahal] take the field we want. He tells us it doesn't matter if we are hit for a six and that we must bowl to our strengths. If our strength is to pitch it up, bowl it up," Chahal said during the post-match press conference on Sunday.

He added: "When your captain tells you that, you don't have to worry even if you have been hit for two or three sixes."

"From behind the stumps, Mahi bhai always keeps advising us. He knows what the batsman is going to try. It makes it easier for us."

Notably, Kuldeep had also heaped praise on Dhoni, saying the veteran wicketkeeper "does 50 percent" of a spinner's work in the team.

The spin twins have become Virat Kohli's wreckers-in-chief ever since they became permanent members of the Indian limited-over set up after India's tour to West Indies last year.

Looking ahead to the 2019 World Cup, the selectors and the team management had decided to drop R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja from the ODI and T20I sides after the finger spinners struggled on flat tracks in England during the team's Champions Trophy campaign last year.

While the selectors' initially said Ashwin and Jadeja were being rested, the chances of the finger-spinner's comeback were thwarted as Kuldeep and Chahal spun India to series wins over New Zealand, Australia and Sri Lanka at home towards the end of 2017 season.