MS Dhoni is my favourite cricketer, Sachin Tendulkar is my idol: Kedar Jadhav

Middle-order batsman Kedar Jadhav has said that MS Dhoni is his favourite cricketer and credited the former Indian skipper for helping him to shape his career.

Jadhav made the revelation during an Instagram Live session on the official handle of Chennai Super Kings.

The middle-order batsman said that he regrets not playing a single match with Sachin Tendulkar for India

."Growing up, my favourite cricketer was Sachin Tendulkar, I regret not playing with him for India. However, when I met MS Dhoni, I thought he would be strict. I have played many matches against him in the IPL, but after meeting him, I do not see any other image coming in my mind when someone asks about my favourite cricketer," Jadhav said during the Instagram Live session.

"With my potential, I would have played 20 odd matches, but whatever I have played after that, I owe it to MS Dhoni. He has helped me to express my game. He has a calming effect on me. If you are getting that confidence from the captain, there is nothing like that. MS Dhoni is my favourite cricketer," he added.

Jadhav, who is an ardent Salman Khan fan, was put in a spot when he was asked to choose one superstar between MS Dhoni and Salman Khan.

To answer this question, Jadhav replied, "Both of them are superstars but because of MS Dhoni. I played for the duration I did and because of him only. I got to meet Salman Bhai, it is difficult to choose one, it is like asking to choose between mother and father."

Jadhav had made his debut in 2014 against Sri Lanka in an ODI match at Ranchi.Since then, he has played 73 ODIs and nine T20Is for India. He also developed into a part-time bowler for the Men in Blue.Whenever the team is struggling for wickets, the skipper has often turned to Jadhav to roll his arm over in search of crucial breakthroughs.

"MS Dhoni has also scolded me in the past, but his scolding is often through his eyes. And when he does that, I know I have to pull up my socks," Jadhav said.

The latest edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) was slated to begin from March 29, but it was first postponed until April 15 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had extended the nationwide lockdown till May 3, following which the IPL was indefinitely suspended.