Former India skipper MS Dhoni and his control over nerves and mind are already broadly discussed. Like every human being, Dhoni too sometimes lost calm during matches. Now, there are several instances when former cricketers spoke about the incidents when Dhoni reacted in outrageous ways.

In a recent interview, Mohit Sharma, who played a lot of cricket with MSD, shared an unheard story about the former skipper. Dhoni was so angry with Mohit during a match that he ambushed the bowler on the field despite taking a wicket. Recalling memories from a Champions League T20 match, when Chennai Super Kings was up against Kolkata Knight Riders.

Dhoni shouted for Ishwar Pandey to bowl, but Mohit Dhoni asked him to bowl and started to run. When he realized what the skipper actually asked, it was too late. Sharma went to deliver, and soon he clinched the wicket of Yusuf Pathan. Still, Dhoni was mad at Mohit for his mistake.

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Here's what Mohit Sharma said about an incident related to MS Dhoni

"There was a moment in the CLT20 against the Kolkata Knight Riders when Mahi Bhai called Ishwar Pandey to bowl, but I thought he called me. I started my run-up, but Mahi Bhai said he didn't call me to bowl, and he tried calling Ishwar. The umpire said I have to continue bowling as I had started my run-up. He lost his cool at me and abused me. I took Yusuf [Pathan] Bhai's wicket on the first ball. During the celebration, Mahi bhai was still hurling abuses," Mohit Sharma said casually. 

"At the same time, I had a lot of off-field moments with him. He is someone who loves to teach things. Every time you sit with him, you learn something in life, not just about the sport. He teaches how cricket can make a kind human," he added.

A test series without Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman. In 2012, it was India's first Test series without two legends since 1996. Then, captained by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, team India was going through a transformation, with a slightly new look in the middle order.

Cheteshwar Pujara returned from injury for the series; Virat Kohli was there, and Suresh Raina was there with Sachin Tendulkar. Virat and Pujara became two pillars over the years for India in the format. Ravichandran Ashwin was then in his prime, taking wickets for fun. The visiting side, New Zealand, had a great chance to dominate Dravid and Laxman-less India, but they did not manage to do the needful.

On September 3, 2012, Men in Blue emerged victorious against the Blackcaps by 5 wickets in Bengaluru, with Virat Kohli as the man of the match for his 103 and 51* run knocks. New Zealand offered a good fight to the home team by scoring 365 and 248 runs in the first and second innings, respectively. After the first innings, the momentum of the match was tilted towards New Zealand because of a century from the skipper Ross Taylor and a 7-wicket haul by Tim Southee. Ravichandran Ashwin's fifer provided the extra thrust India needed to overtake NZ.With only one forty-plus-run inning, the touring team scored only 248 runs in the second inning and offered India a target of 261 runs to win the match. India won the match by 5 wickets. Virat remained unbeaten for 51, and 48-run innings from each of Cheteshwar Pujara and skipper MS Dhoni confirmed the winner of the rivalry. 

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Words after the match

"Virat's batting was superb. The spinners bowled brilliantly. This bowling attack hunts as a pack... Virat fought well and soaked up the pressure," MS Dhoni said after the match. 

"It was a tricky situation when I went out to bat, and I and MS took it ten runs at a time. I needed to be more patient, and it worked. There was more turn today; it was a great cricket wicket. I always love this crowd," Kohli said. 

The former Indian pace bowling all-rounder, Irfan Pathan, didn’t turn up for the national side after October 2012 when he played his last fixture in the shortest format against South Africa in Colombo. In the ODI format, the left-arm pacer picked up a five-wicket haul against Sri Lanka in Pallekele in August 2012.

While the exact reasons for the absence of Irfan from the Blue Brigade aren’t known yet, many reckon that the former captain, MS Dhoni, was blamed along with the selectors, and the team management should be blamed for the poor management of handling the all-rounder. In 2020, Irfan opened up in a candid conversation that he had with Dhoni, and the video has gone viral on social media.

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“Yes, I asked him. During the 2008 Australia series, Mahi bhai's statement came out in the media that Irfan wasn't bowling well. So I thought I had bowled well throughout the series, so I went and asked Mahi bhai about this. Sometimes, the statements are twisted in the media, so I also wanted to clarify.” Pathan expressed in the old interview with SportsTak.

Watch: Irfan Pathan’s old remark on captain MS Dhoni during his playing days goes viral

Pathan ended with 100 Test wickets and 1105 runs in 40 innings, while in the 50-over format, he smacked 1544 runs and bagged 173 wickets. In the shortest format, the Baroda pacer collected 28 wickets and scored 172 runs in the 14 innings of the shortest format. He took a dig at Dhoni, saying that he wouldn’t be someone who sets up a hookah in someone’s room.

pic.twitter.com/AM3GhZbHVe

— Out Of Context Cricket (@GemsOfCricket) September 1, 2025

“Mahi bhai said, 'No, Irfan, there is nothing like this, everything's going as per plans.' When you get a reply like this, then you believe that, okay, you do what you can. Also, if you keep asking for explanations again and again after that, you hurt your self-respect.” The veteran all-rounder added.

“I don't have a habit of setting up a hookah in someone's room or talking about this. Everyone knows. Sometimes, if you don't speak about it, it's better. A cricketer's job is to perform on the field, and that is what I used to focus on.” Irfan Pathan concluded. 

The upcoming Asia Cup 2025 is knocking on the door with just a couple of weeks to go. Amidst the preparations, the former World Cup-winning captain, MS Dhoni, has reportedly been asked to take up the mentor role. The veteran contributed in the same position during the T20 World Cup 2021 in the United Arab Emirates and is likely to be part of the Blue Brigade in India and Sri Lanka.

The defending champions, under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav and the current vice-captaincy of Shubman Gill, will look to claim the Asia Cup to continue the same flow and rhythm of the shortest format. They had been excellent since the last T20 World Cup-winning campaign at home and away.

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“I don’t comment on speculations.” A report of Sports Tak revealed, as quoted by the official of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), who are looking forward to finding a new sponsor of the Blue Brigade before the multi-nation competition.

Reports end suspense of MS Dhoni becoming India’s mentor for T20 World Cup 2026

The tournament will begin on September 09, while India will start their campaign on the following day against the United Arab Emirates at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. They are in the same group alongside Pakistan and Hong Kong. If they and the Green Brigade qualify for the Super Fours, a third meeting is possible on the cards between the two nations.

“We are trying our best. It's not just the Asia Cup but a full cycle of three years. It will be in the public domain soon, but the chances of completing it in time, just before the Asia Cup, are slim. We are working on it. Let's see what happens.” The report suggested, as the BCCI official quoted.

India’s squad for Asia Cup 2025: 

Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shubman Gill (vc), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson (wk), Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh.

Standby players- Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Yashasvi Jaiswal.

Former Indian T20 and ODI World Cup-winning captain MS Dhoni is once again at the centre of the news, as recent media reports suggest that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) once again offered the former Indian captain a bigger and special responsibility. 

After being inactive in international cricket for a year, MS Dhoni officially retired from international cricket in 2020. However, the legendary wicketkeeper-batter is still active in the Indian Premier League (IPL), as he led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the second half of IPL 2025 in the absence of the regular skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad. There is no confirmed news about his presence for the IPL 2026. 

After his international cricket retirement, Dhoni played a short-term mentor role for the Indian men's cricket team during the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2021, where the Men in Blues were eliminated from the Super 12. 

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MS Dhoni as a mentor of entire Indian cricket system

Now, according to the recent report of CricBlogger, the BCCI wants MS Dhoni in a broader role in Indian cricket. Apart from the men's team, he has reportedly been offered to play the mentor role for the women's and junior teams too. His major reported role is to groom the upcoming players, as the board feels that the former Indian captain can be one of the safest options for this role. A BCCI official revealed, “Dhoni is again offered to mentor Indian cricket.”

Will Dhoni accept this offer?

However, the big question is whether Dhoni will be interested in taking another important role in Indian cricket. Dhoni is always away from the media, which makes it difficult to bring his reaction on any matter. As Dhoni hasn't officially retired from the IPL, taking a big responsibility as the Indian cricket mentor for a long period is difficult to imagine.

Ex-India cricketer and analyst Sanjay Manjrekar praised MS Dhoni, emphasizing his exceptional leadership skills and influence on the team’s success. According to him, Dhoni had a rare gift of inspiring and guiding his players, no matter the situation.

Manjrekar pointed out how Dhoni had the ability to transform even an average-looking side into a team of champions. His calmness and trust in his players often brought the best out of them, which played a key role in India’s numerous triumphs under his captaincy.

The former batter also admired Dhoni’s temperament in big games. He noted that he consistently handled pressure with ease, especially in finals, making the difference when it mattered the most for the team.

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Sanjay Manjrekar Highlights MS Dhoni’s Leadership Qualities:

Sanjay Manjrekar, speaking on Stalin Mathias’ YouTube channel, highlighted MS Dhoni’s unmatched record as captain. Manjrekar noted that Dhoni guided India to landmark wins: the 2007 T20 World Cup, 2011 ODI World Cup, and 2013 Champions Trophy.

Sanjay Manjrekar highlighted Dhoni’s calm nature and smart decision-making, noting they played a crucial role in turning high-pressure tournaments into historic, unforgettable victories for Indian cricket.

He said, “ I would rank Imran Khan from the days gone by, and after that, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, as to what he was able to do as a captain. I thought he single-handedly raised the bar for the team and got even, maybe an average team sometimes, an inexperienced team, for example, in that 2007 T20 World Cup to go and win titles..”

He further said, “ And I think he was different when it came to performances on the big stage. He played the final just like he would play one of the earlier league matches. I think the moment, just that whole stay that you have for the big finals, can get to a lot of players and definitely gets to a few captains as well. MS was different in that regard.”

Sanjay Manjrekar Praises Virat Kohli’s Brilliance in 2014 Australia Tour:

Sanjay Manjrekar also praised ex-India skipper Virat Kohli for his fearless approach during the 2014 Australia series. He hailed Kohli as a “mentality monster” for his fighting spirit and consistency, highlighting his four centuries in tough conditions. Manjrekar, in the same video, credited Kohli’s performances for setting new standards in Indian cricket.

He said, “ Virat Kohli, for me, is at the top. Indian cricket have had greats, mentally strong, who are not demonstrative it was not obvious to see. They all had their aggression from Sunil Gavaskar, Tendulkar, and Kapil Dev. It was not that visible.”

He further said, “ Virat Kohli was one of the first guys that I saw, and that was during the 2014 trip to Australia after England, where he had a difficult time at the battle. He went to Australia and got four 100s. And I remember him taking on the Australian players head-on and gave it back to them verbally, and he walked the talk as well.”

He added, “ And I thought at that time that it was great because Indian cricket didn’t have any leading figure being like this. Pakistan in the past used to have a Javed Miandad who did that to take on Denis Lilly, and the things that he did, plus a great batter.”

He concluded, “ So, that was nice to see. I mean, it’s not really about how you get runs, it’s about how many runs you get. That’s the real value. But he did both Virat Kohli and, I remember feeling very very proud at the time.”

Virat Kohli showcased his brilliance in the 2014-15 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, scoring a remarkable 692 runs across eight innings. Averaging 86.50, he dominated the Australian attack with consistency and class, proving why he was regarded as one of the finest batters of his generation.

Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar praised legendary captain MS Dhoni for his leadership. He said Dhoni could turn an average team into winners. He also admired the 44-year-old for handling pressure in finals and getting the best performance from his players. Notably, Dhoni led India to victories in the 2007 T20 World Cup, the 2011 ODI World Cup, and the 2013 Champions Trophy.

Sanjay Manjrekar said on his YouTube channel:

“And I think he was different when it came to performing on the big stage. He played the final just like he would play an earlier league match. The pressure in big finals affects many players and some captains too. MS was different in that way,” he added.

Apart from international cricket, Dhoni also led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to five IPL trophies.

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Manjrekar on Virat Kohli’s Mentality

Manjrekar also praised former India captain Virat Kohli for his performance during the 2014 Australia tour. He called Kohli a ‘mentality monster’ and credited him for scoring four centuries in the series.

He said: “Virat Kohli, for me, is at the top. Indian cricket has had mentally strong players, like Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, and Kapil Dev, but their aggression was not very visible. Virat was different. During the 2014 tour to Australia, he scored four centuries and took on Australian players both verbally and on the field. He walked the talk. It was great to see because Indian cricket didn’t have someone leading like this at that time. It reminded me of Javed Miandad from Pakistan.”

Notably, Virat Kohli had a poor 2014 England tour, scoring only 134 runs in 10 innings. But he then scored 692 runs in eight innings at an average of 86.50 during the 2014-15 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) all-rounder Shreyas Gopal praised MS Dhoni and said he feels lucky to play for CSK and share the dressing room with the legendary captain. The 31-year-old said he learned leadership and how to manage players from Dhoni. He also praised Dhoni’s smart thinking and calmness under pressure.

Gopal is now leading the Mangalore Dragons in the 2025 KSCA T20 League. Speaking at the season opener in Mysore on Tuesday (August 26), he told SportsYaari’s YouTube channel:

“It’s very hard to be MS Dhoni. People think it is very easy to be MS Dhoni. There is a lot of fame and people cheer for him, but to be him, to stay grounded, humble, kind, and caring is very hard. We must also remember he is a human being. He loves doing simple and basic things, and that is his greatness.”

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Shreyas Gopal on Learning from Dhoni

“Mainly, it’s about how to handle a player, how to use a player in a tournament, and who to give the right over to. Tactically, I had many talks with him. There is no one better than him; everyone knows that. From him, I learned captaincy, how to finish matches, and how he deals with his stardom,” Shreyas Gopal said.

SHREYAS GOPAL ON MS DHONI:

"The way he deals with stardom is very tough, to become like MS Dhoni is extremely difficult - People think that becoming like MS Dhoni is very easy because there’s so much fame & people cheer loudly, but to stay that grounded and that humble is very… pic.twitter.com/uAvhyrhs9x

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) August 26, 2025

Wants to Stay with CSK for IPL 2026

Shreyas Gopal said it was a dream come true to play with MS Dhoni at CSK. The Karnataka player also shared that he wants to stay with the team for IPL 2026 and requested Dhoni to play one more season. He said:

“To play with Dhoni was a dream for many of us, maybe billions. I got that chance last year, and I would love to continue for a few more years. The more he plays, the better it is for cricket. The talks and inputs we get from him in the dressing room are priceless. I feel very grateful to play for CSK and under him.”

The Super Kings bought Gopal for ₹30 lakh in the IPL 2025 mega auction. He did not get a game last season. In his IPL career, the leg-spinner has taken 52 wickets in 52 matches with an economy of 8.16. With the bat, he has scored 180 runs in 22 innings.

The love and affection for the former Indian and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain, MS Dhoni, is immense in the south, with fans always trying to get a glimpse of their beloved ‘Thala’ at any point of the year. During the two months of the Indian Premier League, they come in heavy numbers to gather at the Chepauk Stadium and roar whenever Dhoni comes to bat.

There have been instances when they want to see the veteran wicket-keeper batter, MS Dhoni, bat and start to enjoy the fall of a CSK wicket at any cost. Ravindra Jadeja, or sometimes Ambati Rayudu in the past, used to get themselves in the firing line when they used to walk with the bat before the Ranchi-born.

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The yellow franchise has posted a video on their social media accounts where a fan is seen working the art of their ‘Thala Dhoni.’ It’s not in the Indian blue color but in yellow, which suggests that the guy is a fan of the five-time champions, Chennai Super Kings, who didn’t enjoy a great time in IPL 2025, finishing at the bottom of the points table.

Watch: Chennai Super Kings posts viral video of fan's 'Thala Dhoni' art

The 44-year-old wicket-keeper batter has smashed a total of 5439 runs in 242 innings at an average of 38.30 and a strike rate of 137.45, with the help of 24 half-centuries at the best score of unbeaten 84 runs. In the recent season of the league, the veteran clubbed 196 runs in 13 innings at an average of 24.50 and a strike rate of 135.17.

The Thala Dhoni art. 😍 pic.twitter.com/Y9YtyRv0CO

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) August 25, 2025

Recently, Dhoni was present in Chennai along with the captain, Ruturaj Gaikwad, as they discussed the team combination for the upcoming 2026 season of the league. The reports have claimed that their veteran off-spinner, Ravichandran Ashwin, is expected to get released from the next edition of the competition.

Questions were raised on whether Dhoni would feature in the next season of the IPL for the Super Kings. Recently, he revealed that the only issue is with the knees, which he operated on in 2024. However, he confirmed that even if he doesn’t play for CSK, he would remain in the coaching shape for the franchise.

The former Indian opening batter Virender Sehwag’s older son, Aaryavir, was bought for a huge price of INR 8 lakh by Central Delhi Kings during the 2025 season of the Delhi Premier League (DPL). At the age of just 18, the batter is already a part of the under-19 side of the Delhi state team. 

Aaryavir picked his favorite player in a ‘This or That’ game on the sidelines of the DPL 2025. He was given the choice to choose between the Indian Test captain, Shubman Gill, and the T20I opener of the side, Abhishek Sharma, to which the youngster picked the former. Gill stayed ahead of KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Shreyas Iyer, and Sanju Samson.

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Moreover, Gill was picked over the former Indian captain, MS Dhoni, who won the T20 World Cup 2007 in South Africa, the home ODI World Cup 2011, and later the Champions Trophy 2013 in England. Aaryavir picked the Punjab-born ahead of Rohit Sharma, who won the T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies and the United States of America.

Watch: Virender Sehwag’s son picks Virat Kohli over Sachin Tendulkar in ‘This or That’ game

The 17-year-old later selected Virat Kohli over Gill and kept Kohli over the legendary Sachin Tendulkar. He addressed the Delhi batter as the greatest batter of the era and also expressed his long-time wish to feature with the veteran in the IPL in the future.

 

 

 

 

 

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“If it were retired players, then Sachin Tendulkar, but I would go for Virat Kohli as he is my era's greatest batsman. My dream is to share the dressing room with Virat Kohli if I get an opportunity to play this soon in the IPL.” Aaryavir expressed to Inside Sport.

One of the notable performances of the batter is his 297 runs during the 2024-25 Cooch Behar Trophy, which was the highest individual score of that season. Against Manipur, he also impressed on his U-19 Vinoo Mankad Trophy debut in 2024 with 49 runs. His Central Deli Kings side has played eight games in DPL 2025 to win five and is second on the table.