3 times MS Dhoni won fans over with something that he said
The 16th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is in full flow with the tournament now past the mid-way stage.
The IPL is a huge occasion for fans of former India skipper MS Dhoni as they only get to see him in action during the competition. The excitement of the fans has been on show as the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have received enormous support even when they have not been the home team. Fans have been coming out in huge numbers just to get a glimpse of their hero.
Dhoni has not disappointed as he has done pretty well in the limited number of batting opportunities that he has got. He has scored 74 runs this year at a strike rate of 211.43 which is simply sensational.
While fans have obviously been looking forward to his batting, they have also enjoyed his pre and post-match interviews as he has been known to be a cheeky character in recent times.
We look at three times Dhoni won fans over with something that he said:
#1 "You have decided it's my last"
In the toss ahead of today's game between the Chennai Super Kings and the Lucknow Supergiants, presenter Danny Morrison asked Dhoni if he was enjoying his swansong. He responded by telling Morrison that it was he who had decided that it was his last and not Dhoni himself.
It was a beautiful moment as fans believed it to be a confirmation of Dhoni's return to the IPL in 2024. MS Dhoni was trending on the micro-blogging site Twitter moments after the toss as people flooded the portal to express their happiness.
#2 "Definitely not"
During CSK's last game in IPL 2020 against the Kings XI Punjab, it was once again Danny Morrison who asked the legend about his retirement. The former New Zealand player asked MSD if it was his last in the yellow of CSK. The latter replied with a two-word statement which became a slogan for his fans - "Definitely not!"
Fans were thrilled to bits at that point in time. "Definitely Not" was trending on all social media portals. It was understandable as fans were anxious regarding his participation in the next IPL and Dhoni's statement gave them some much-needed clarity.
#3 "I am on national duty; everything else can wait"
During the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup, MS Dhoni, who was the Indian captain, was asked if he would have liked to be in India for the birth of his child. He responded by saying that he was on national duty and that everything else could wait.
"Not really. I have been blessed with a baby daughter. Mum and daughter both are good. But as of now I am on national duty so I think everything else can wait. The World Cup is a very important campaign," he was quoted as saying.