"I'm Indebted To Dhoni": India Great's Humble Praise For Legendary Captain

Overwhelmed by emotion and filled with gratitude at being grandly feted for hitting the 500-wicket mark in Tests, Ravichandaran Ashwin on Saturday recalled the one man he would forever be "indebted to" for showing faith in a "nobody" 13 years ago -- his first IPL and India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni. With 516 scalps in 100 Tests, Ashwin is a bonafide superstar in Indian cricket, just second behind the great Anil Kumble in the list of top Indian wicket-takers in the five-day format.

But it was not the case back in 2008 when he was roped in as a local spinner by Chennai Super Kings. He did not get a game that year as the legendary Muttiah Muralitharan led their spin attack.

Dhoni flung the new ball to Ashwin in the 2011 IPL final against Royal Challengers Bangalore and the then rookie off-spinner made an impact in the fourth ball itself, dismissing an in-form Chris Gayle.

The same year he made his India debut under Dhoni, picking up the player of the match honours in the game against the West Indies in Delhi.

"In 2008 I met all the greats (in CSK dressing room) Mathew Hayden and MS Dhoni. I sat through (IPL) 2008. I was a nobody then, where am I to play in a team that had Muttiah Muralitharan," said Ashwin, who was felicitated by the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association in a grand ceremony for his rare achievements, in a dipped-in-emotion voice.

"I am indebted to Dhoni for the rest of my life for what he gave me. He gave me an opportunity with the new ball to go head on with Chris Gayle and 17 years later Anil bhai would be talking about the same episode," he fondly recalled.

That magical Chepauk night for Chennai Super Kings was just a beginning for Ashwin. With several current and former stars paying tributes to him, Ashwin