Not just fans, but former India captain MS Dhoni’s absence has left an unfillable void even for the Indian players. Speaking ahead of the IND vs ENG 4th Test in Ranchi, Dhoni’s hometown, India batter Shubman Gill revealed how the Men-in-Blue miss the presence of Dhoni wherever they play.
“Everyone misses Mahi bhai wherever we play. Everywhere in India” said Gill speaking to the media.
19-year-old then Shubman Gill made his India debut in 2019 in an ODI against New Zealand under former captain MS Dhoni himself. However, the young batter could only feature in a handful of games alongside the maestro with Dhoni announcing his retirement in 2020.
MS Dhoni’s astounding impact on India:
Dhoni steered a young Indian team to victory in the inaugural 2007 T20 World Cup in South Africa. Four years later, he ended India’s 28-year wait for an ODI World Cup with a memorable six at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium in the 2011 final against Sri Lanka. In 2013, Dhoni led India to the Champions Trophy title, marking their last ICC triumph.
The iconic cricketer from Ranchi, currently leading the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, has featured in 90 Tests, 350 ODIs, and 98 T20Is, accumulating 4876, 10773, and 1617 runs respectively for India.
Shubman Gill joined MS Dhoni in a unique feat in Rajkot:
Shubman Gill joined MS Dhoni in a unique category after his unfortunate dismissal in the India vs. England 3rd Test in Rajkot. Gill’s runout at 91 in the Rajkot Test placed him alongside MS Dhoni as the only two Indian batsmen to be run out in their 90s against England. Similar to Shubman Gill, MS Dhoni faced a similar fate, falling short of his century by just one run back in 2012 in a Test match against England. Despite Gill missing out on his century, India secured a massive 434-run victory over England, taking a commanding 2-1 lead in the series.
