Happy Birthday MS Dhoni: Seven Times when Kohli proved how much he respects Dhoni
The baton of India’s captaincy was passed to Virat Kohli by MS Dhoni. And ever since Virat has assumed the role, MS has been around like a guiding force. The duo might captain the two arch-rival teams in the Indian Premier League but that has not affected the bonhomie between the two at all. As MS Dhoni turns 39 and the wishes pour in, we take a look at seven (why not?) instances when Virat Kohli proved how much he respects India’s one of the most successful captains.
1.
Last year about a month before the world cup, talking to India today, Kohli said, "He [Dhoni] is one person who knows the game inside out, who understands the game from ball one to 300 on the field," Kohli told India Today. "I won't say it is a luxury to have him, but I am fortunate to have a mind like that behind the stumps.”
2.
When Dhoni stepped down from the ODI captaincy and conveyed his decision to play under the new captain. A move which was perceived to be a tactical one to groom the next skipper for the 2019 World Cup, Kohli tweeted:
Thanks for always being the leader a youngster wants to have around him. You'll always be my captain @msdhoni Bhai ??
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) January 6, 2017
3.
And when Ravichandran Ashwin, during an Instagram live, asked him about the process of becoming captain, Kohli wholeheartedly credited MSD for that. “I think a large portion of me becoming captain was also to do with him (MSD) observing me for a long period of time. It just can’t happen like he goes and selectors say you become captain. The guy who is there, he takes responsibility and says okay I think this is the next guy and I will tell you how he is going and then slowly that transition is formed. I think he played a big role in that and that trust you have to build over, say six seven years, it just doesn’t happen overnight.”
4.
Last year during the world cup Kohli revealed what Dhoni’s presence meant for the team: “You know, within the same team, just playing as a player after being captain for so many years and still not being too assertive or too pushy in anything. He (Dhoni) gives you space to make your own decisions and to actually discover yourself, so I think that's been his biggest quality. At the same time, I go ask him anything, he's there giving me advice and he's never shying away from that. So yeah, he's been outstanding and I'm delighted that I have been able to play for so many years alongside him."
5.
On Breakfast with Champions, Kohli allowed us a peek into the relationship he shares with Thala: “A lot of people try to plug in stories of rift between us. The best part is neither he reads those articles nor do I. And when the people see us together, they wonder 'wasn't there rift between the two'. We laugh amongst ourselves and say we didn't know there was one.”
6.
When there were questions being raised against MSD’s form during a T20I series against New Zealand in 2017, Virat Kohli came out in support of him: “I don’t understand why people are pointing him out. If I fail as a batsman three times, no one is going to point fingers at me because I am not over 35. “The guy is fit, he is passing all the tests. He is contributing to the team in every tactical way on the field. With the bat, he did really well against Sri Lanka (away series) and Australia.”
7.
Happy birthday mahi bhai @msdhoni. Very few people understand the meaning of trust and respect and I'm glad to have had the friendship I have with you for so many years. You've been a big brother to all of us and as I said before, you will always be my captain ? pic.twitter.com/Wxsf5fvH2m
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) July 7, 2019
What’s so unique about this birthday tweet from Kohli for Dhoni? Well, this was the most retweeted sports tweet of 2019.
Long live the bonhomie, and once again a very Happy Birthday to the legend!
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