Former India captain Virat Kohli endured one of many lowest phases of his profession throughout early to mid-2022, a interval marked by captaincy losses throughout codecs and an alarming dip in kind with the bat. Kohli’s struggles prolonged to each worldwide cricket and the Indian Premier League (IPL), the place he discovered himself unable to dwell as much as his regular excessive requirements.
Virat Kohli’s hardest part and MS Dhoni’s surprising help
Amidst this difficult part, Kohli stepped down as India’s Take a look at captain in January 2022, following India’s sequence loss to South Africa. This determination got here after he had already relinquished T20I captaincy publish the T20 World Cup 2021 and was later eliminated as ODI captain by the Board of Management for Cricket in India (BCCI). The sequence of management exits fueled hypothesis about his relationship with the cricketing board and fellow teammates.
Months later, in a candid press conference after India’s Asia Cup 2022 loss to Pakistan, Kohli revealed that regardless of being one of the vital influential figures in Indian cricket, just one individual from the cricketing world personally reached out to him – MS Dhoni.
“Let me inform you one factor: once I left Take a look at captaincy, I bought a message from just one individual, with whom I had performed beforehand; that was MS Dhoni. Many individuals have my quantity. On TV, folks give numerous options, folks have rather a lot to say. However not one of the individuals who had my quantity despatched me a message,” Kohli stated, subtly addressing the dearth of private help from others in Indian cricket.
Kohli’s revelation instantly went viral, triggering widespread discussions about his equation with teammates and the Indian cricket fraternity. It additionally ignited curiosity amongst followers, with many questioning: What precisely did Dhoni say to Kohli in that message?
Additionally READ: Virat Kohli vs Sachin Tendulkar: Who has better ODI stats at 14,000 runs?
MS Dhoni lastly breaks his silence on the viral message
Now, after practically two years of silence, Dhoni has lastly addressed the matter. Talking at a company occasion, Dhoni was as soon as once more requested concerning the thriller message he had despatched to Kohli. In his basic, calm and composed fashion, Dhoni provided a cryptic but intriguing response:
“It’s déjà vu. I used to be requested an identical query in a JioHotstar present; you will notice the reply in the course of the IPL. I’m not nice in terms of being in contact with folks, however yeah, sure occasions while you really feel somebody wants you, you simply drop in a message,” Dhoni stated.
With this assertion, Dhoni as soon as once more displayed his attribute humility and discretion. He didn’t reveal the precise phrases of his message however subtly emphasised the significance of reaching out when somebody actually wants help. His point out of a JioHotstar present set to air throughout IPL 2025 has now left followers eagerly ready for his full response, including a component of anticipation to the long-running hypothesis.
Had a Privelege to work together with @msdhoni at a non-public company occasion @amittalwalkar @anupamkumar01 @rs_3702 pic.twitter.com/T9yiwAwhcG
— Arpit Awasthi (@arpzrocz) February 25, 2025