After claims of RBI issuing new ₹7 coins in honor of MS Dhoni go viral, PIB issues clarification
A rumor has been doing the rounds of social media in which it is claimed that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is going to issue new ₹7 coins to pay tribute to Mahendra Singh Dhoni. While several Dhoni fans might have been pleased to read about it, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) has clarified that the claim is fake.
As per the reports circulating on social media, the RBI has been planning to issue new ₹7 coins to acknowledge the former Indian captain's legendary contribution to the game. However, the X media handle of PIB Fact Check posted an infographic about the claim and debunked it as fake news.
The post clarified:
"An image circulating on social media claims that a new ₹7 coin will be released to honor Mahendra Singh Dhoni for his contributions to Indian Cricket. The claim made in the image is #fake. The Department of Economic Affairs has made NO such announcement."
The number 7 is synonymous with Dhoni in cricket. He wore the jersey number while representing India and has continued doing the same for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) as well in the Indian Premier League (IPL). In December 2023, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced that it was retiring jersey No. 7 as a tribute to the legendary former India captain.
When MS Dhoni opened up on the reason behind picking the No. 7 jersey
Several cricketers are known to be superstitious when it comes to picking jersey numbers or even bats, pads, and other sporting equipment. At a promotional event earlier this year, Dhoni came up with an amusing response when asked about the reason behind picking jersey No. 7. He said:
"That is the time or day my parents decided I would come on earth. So, I was born on the 7th of July. So July is again the seventh month. 81 was the year so 8-1 = 7. So it was very easy for me to go out there when they asked me, 'okay, what number do you want'."
The former India keeper-batter was born in Ranchi on July 7, 1981. While the 43-year-old retired from international cricket in 2020, he remains active on the IPL circuit. The veteran cricketer was retained by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) as an uncapped player for ₹4 crore ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction.