Even with Jharkhand, Dhoni the cynosure of all eyes
“Ghar jaao, rest kaaro, (go home and rest).” With these words to journalists, MS Dhoni, wearing shades, stubble and a Jharkhand floppy, stepped on to the Eden turf. Two bat handles peeped out of his camouflage-coloured shoulder bag as he went out to join Jharkhand teammates for a training session. Nearly two hours later, one of them became a weapon to destroy the white cricket ball. More of that later. Forget going home, for the next four hours and more that India’s most successful skipper was at Dhoni made was scrutinised.
Through an overnight train journey from Ranchi and staying with the team at a hotel near Eden Gardens whose opulence wouldn’t match the one he is used to staying in while representing India, Dhoni may be trying to blend in, be just another member of the Jharkhand squad for the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Should the team decide to stay in Kalyani, some 51km away from Kolkata, where they play on Tuesday, Dhoni will be at the CAB’s academy lodgings there, said team manager PN Singh.
But everyone at the Eden let it be known to Dhoni that he was the cyno sure So it fit that traffic would become cameras outside the club house because Dhoni was on the right window seat at the rear of the team bus. It seemed like the India team had come calling, minus the stifling security cordon.
“I haven’t spent much time with him, am looking forward to doing that,” said Virat Singh, who starred in last week’s Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final with an unbeaten 48 ball 74 what it means to be sharing a dressing room with MS Dhoni,” said the left-hand bat. “I am not scared of him but I keep my distance… (However,) I hope I can speak to him about his leadership qualities and the ability to stay cool under pressure.”
Dhoni will keep wickets, said Singh. He didn’t train for that but went through the other drills and played a game of football. He bowled off-spin longer than he batted. Facing the faster bowlers – Varun Aaron wasn’t there because of a stomach bug --Dhoni did struggle with his timing as someone without competitive cricket for over three weeks would but still hit Vikas Singh
DHONI MAY BE TRYING TO BLENDIN,BEJUSTA MEMBER OF THE JHARKHAND SQUAD.