MS Dhoni

MS Dhoni kept giving me advice all the time. I told him, ‘Listen : Virat Kohli when he was India captain

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During MS Dhoni’s time as India’s captain, Virat Kohli discussed his relationship with the wicketkeeper-batter. Kohli added that because of their strong bond, he found it simple to step into his captaincy.

After making his debut for India in 2008, Virat Kohli, one of the greatest cricketers in history, has achieved numerous victories. Despite his brilliance, the 34-year-old has faced harsh criticism, particularly during his time as captain when he failed to take home an ICC title. In 2017, while he served as captain, India advanced to the ICC Champions Trophy final where they fell to longtime rivals Pakistan.

Before he recovered during the Asia Cup and then produced a magnificent match-winning century against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup, Kohli suffered for a few years. With three century in four ODIs, he has been in excellent form.

Dhoni was the “only one who actually sought out to me,” according to Kohli, who disclosed his close relationship with him.

The only person, aside from my childhood coach and family, who has genuinely reached out to me has been MS Dhoni, Kohli said on the RCB podcast. “What is interesting is that throughout this stage apart from Anushka, who has been the biggest source of inspiration for me because she has been with me throughout this entire time and she has seen me very closely as how have I felt, topics that I have gone through, the kind of things that have happened,” Kohli said.

MS Dhoni only one who genuinely reached out to me: Kohli

Dhoni and Kohli shared a changing room for 11 years, from 2008 to 2019. He claims that Dhoni, who seldom ever uses his phone, called him repeatedly during his trying moments and gave him some crucial information.

“You seldom ever get in touch with him, yet he reached out to me. 99 percent of the time he will not pick up the phone if I call him on any given day because he simply does not glance at his phone.

“Therefore, for him to get in touch with me Twice already, that has happened, and he had written to me saying, “When you are expected to be tough and regarded at as a strong individual people forget to inquire how you are doing.”

“The fact that I have always been seen as someone who is highly self-assured, psychologically tough, and who can endure any situation made Dhoni’s words particularly poignant for me. You may occasionally come to the realisation that, as a human, you occasionally need to retrace your steps in order to assess your progress and the state of your wellbeing “Kohli continued.

“He has gone through what I’m going through right now. Hence, the only way to actually have compassion and understanding for someone who is experiencing the same thing comes from having had the experience and feeling those emotions at the time.”

When Kohli took over the captaincy, first in red-ball cricket and subsequently in limited overs format, it was none other than MS Dhoni who taught him the ropes. In an open discussion on the RCB Podcast, Kohli spoke up about his experience playing under Dhoni’s captaincy and their relaxed dynamic, which made the transition to Kohli’s command very simple.

“The fact of the matter is that MS picked me. Not the other way around, either. When you consider the fact that I, a 23-year-old vice captain, was always under his wing. He and I frequently discussed our options and my recommendations. His right hand was always mine. The fact that I was hitting game-winning shots also helped. He was aware that I realised the direction the game was taking and what I needed to accomplish. Also, I was offering him a lot of advice in the area. Never have I just stood there and tossed the ball back “he declared.

“If the game was close, I always turned to him. I was always playing with the game’s feel. I never thought, “This many runs, these many balls,” when I glanced at the scoreboard. I was considering various things, including how the surface was acting, how our bowlers were bowling, and what we could do to break the partnership. He knew that right away. I’ve been trained since 2012 to be the man who will succeed. I have always respected him greatly and always will. How he led the team as captain and contributed to the team for such a long time. I never intended to hurt MS in any way.

“I never felt as though I belonged there (in his place). He has so much faith in me that I feel free to talk to him about anything, and I was very appreciative of that “he continued.

Kohli clarified that there was never any uneasiness when he assumed the captaincy duties: “It was the same after I was promoted to captain. He constantly offered advise, and I was able to respond by saying, “Listen, I don’t want to utilise it right now.” Let’s utilise this strategy now. That was really basic and obvious. No awkwardness ever occurred. What a seamless transition that was.”

In July 2019, Dhoni played his final game for India. India won the 2007 World Twenty20, 2011 World Cup, 2013 ICC Champions Trophy, 2010 and 2016 Asia Cup, 2010 and 2011 ICC Test Mace, and 2013 ICC ODI Championship while he served as captain. In IPL 2023, the wicketkeeper-batter will once more take the field for CSK.

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