MS Dhoni obliges Ranchi fans with autographs, selfies ahead of possible hometown farewell
India vs Australia: MS Dhoni has been the flavour of Ranchi as India gear up to face Australia in the third ODI of the five-match series. Dhoni is possibly playing his final international match in Ranchi.
MS Dhoni will possibly play his last international match in hometown Ranchi when India take on Australia in the third ODI of a five-match series at JSCA Stadium on Friday. Not surprisingly then, fans in Ranchi have thronged to see their favourite cricketing son and lap up every moment with him.
On Wednesday, hundreds gathered at the airport to take a look at MS Dhoni when the Indian team landed in Ranchi. Later in the evening, Dhoni hosted the entire Indian team for dinner at his house. The likes of Virat Kohli, Yuzvendra Chahal, Rishabh Pant and Shikhar Dhawan posted pictures of a lovely evening on their social media handles.
On Thursday, it was business as usual for MS Dhoni as he got down to practice even as emotional fans braced for the legend's last game at home as an India cricketer. After a horror run in 2018, MS Dhoni has been in spectacular form this year with four fifties from 8 ODIs. He was named man-of-the-series for his three successive half-centuries in Australia where India won their first ever bilateral ODI series.
MUST WATCH - The @msdhoni aura in Ranchi
In this video capsule, we try to capture the euphoria around MS Dhoni in the dressing room & his aura in his hometown in Ranchi - by @28anand
https://t.co/CtSlWl1i8H pic.twitter.com/VudCr9VbIo BCCI (@BCCI) March 7, 2019
In the first ODI in Hyderabad, Dhoni scored a gutsy fifty and stitched up a crucial partnership with Kedar Jadhav after India had slipped to 99 for 4 in a chase of 237. But in Nagpur, Dhoni fell for a golden duck. Fans in Ranchi would hope for fireworks from MS Dhoni - by the look of things at nets, he looked in great shape.
After India's training session, a few locals had the chance to catch up with MS Dhoni who patiently obliged them selfies and autographs.
No surprises here - Quite the Flavour in Ranchi - @msdhoni #TeamIndia #INDvAUS @Paytm pic.twitter.com/hE9jVWs024 BCCI (@BCCI) March 7, 2019
MS Dhoni is the only captain to win all three ICC tournaments - the World T20 in 2007, the World Cup in 2011 and the Champions Trophy in 2013. He also led India to the semifinals of the 2015 World Cup.
Under MS Dhoni, India had also become the No.1 Test team.
There widespread speculation that MS Dhoni might be playing his last game in Ranchi where he was born. This is where his cricketing career took shape. Ironically, Dhoni, who has shown his magic the world over, is yet to play an innings of substance in his homeground.
So far, the JSCA Stadium in Ranchi has hosted four ODIs out of which one against Australia was washed out. India won the first ever ODI at the venue against England in 2013 and another against Sri Lanka in 2014. They lost the last game in Ranchi to New Zealad.
MS Dhoni has batted only twice in Ranchi with scores of 10 not out and 11. He did not play the game against Sri Lanka in 2017.