MS Dhoni fans on Twitter think that he is faster than Usain Bolt
What's the story?
MS Dhoni enjoys a god-like status in India, second only to Sachin Tendulkar. But even the most successful Indian cricket team captain would have to agree that his fans can go a little over the top.
Following Usain Bolt's bronze in his final solo race, Twitter was on fire with congratulatory messages and tweets directed towards the Jamaican and his legendary career. Former Sri Lankan cricket team captain Mahela Jayawardene was among those who paid homage to the runner with a heartfelt tweet.
What he didn't expect, however, was a backlash of this magnitude.
To which Mahela snidely remarked...
But the crazy replies just kept on coming...
In case you didn't know...
Bolt's final race saw a storm on social media with several celebrities and athletes thanking the Jamaican Champion for his incredible efforts in making 100 m sprints amongst the coolest sports out there.
Though his bronze may have come as a disappointment, it cannot overshadow the achievements of Bolt over the past decade. Achievements that have been nothing short of legendary.
The heart of the matter
Dhoni and Usain Bolt are both legends in their own right and have had some huge achievements in their respective sports. However, the crazy Twitter reaction marks the extent that fans are willing to go in order to put their World Cup winning captain on a pedestal.
Spare a thought for Mahela Jayawardene too. The former Sri Lankan batsman was just paying tribute to the greatest sprinter of all time and did nothing to deserve that reaction. But as the champ that he is, he definitely put the die-hard Dhoni fan in his place with his "Was Dhoni on his bike?" tweet. Classic.
With India and Sri Lanka currently at blows in the test match series in Sri Lanka, the fun banter may just light fuel to the raging fire of competitiveness between these two stalwarts of world cricket.
What's next?
Usain Bolt may have found himself in between an unlikely cricket confrontation but let's not forget his contributions to world sport. As he rides on into the sunset, the future looks bright for up and coming sprinters looking to emulate this particular sporting icon.
Author's take
It sure does make one chuckle seeing how over-the-top Indian cricket fans can go when it comes to their favourite players.