When MS Dhoni surprised Mandeep Singh at his wedding in 2016
India batsman Mandeep Singh recently walked down the memory lane to recall his national team debut in 2016 against Zimbabwe, under the captaincy of MS Dhoni.
The KXIP star batsman also reminisced the memorable moment when MS Dhoni surprised him by attending the former's wedding back in December 2016.
Mandeep made his T20I debut in June 2016 against Zimbabwe under the stewardship of MS Dhoni, following a great domestic season in which he finished as the highest run-getter for Punjab in the 2015 Vijay Hazare Trophy.
In an exclusive chat with Sportskeeda, Mandeep looked back at his debut and heaped praise on MS Dhoni's down-to-earth approach to life.
"I can't describe how it was in words. It was a dream come true. Mahi bhai is very down to earth. We used to play PS together. He doesn't show off his status or that he is a legendary cricketer. I remember he would always eat with me, we would order desi food like biryani, sit down and eat. It was great to spend time with him," Mandeep Singh said.
Mandeep Singh finished as the highest run-getter from the T20I series with 87 runs from three games including a 40-ball 52* in the second T20I.
Six months later, the Punjab star tied the knot with girlfriend Jagdeep Jaswal, and the ceremony witnessed the presence of several notable names.
Mandeep Singh in awe of MS Dhoni's simplicity
However, Mandeep Singh claims that MS Dhoni's presence on his special day will remain as one of the most memorable days of his life.
"My wedding was in December 2016, I invited Mahi bhai. He didn't tell me whether he would come, he said he needed to go to New York. But he came to my wedding and surprised me. For him to take time away from his busy schedule and come, it was a memorable moment for me," Mandeep Singh said.
The ace batsman recalls that he himself arrived for the reception ceremony at 8.30 PM, and MS Dhoni had already arrived by 8 PM. And, during a conversation with his then-captain, Mandeep Singh claims that MS Dhoni mentioned that he had surprised Ishant Sharma and Suresh Raina the same way at their respective weddings.
"From Ranchi to Delhi to Amritsar is three separate flights and then he had to take a two hour drive during the harsh fog and biting cold at that time. He took so much effort to come even though I had played only a few matches with him. That's his simplicity, that's his greatness," the Punjab captain recalled.