India won the ODI series against New Zealand on January 24, Tuesday, 3-0 and the Hardik Pandya-led team will take on the Kiwis in a three-match T20I series slated on Friday. Ahead of the series, Pandya, in the early hours of Thursday, posted an image with former team India captain MS Dhoni, captioning it ‘Sholay 2 coming soon’.
For the unversed, the first T20I will take place at Ranchi, Dhoni’s hometown and the former Indian captain took his time out to visit the Indian dressing room, sharing his thoughts and experiences with the young setup. To add more, the Indian cricket board’s social media handle released the video on Thursday and as one could expect, it broke the internet as fans went crazy over the same.
Dhoni was spotted having exchanges with captain Pandya, youngster Ishan Kishan, Shubman Gill and allrounder Washington Sundar. The 41-year-old met and greeted the coaching staff and fans claimed that it was a kind gesture from the Indian great. The youngsters, on the other hand, looked delighted after meeting who can be called one of the greatest captains to have led India.
Watch MS Dhoni visiting team India’s dressing room here:
MS Dhoni visited team India's dressing room. pic.twitter.com/hdr2Hn5kEe
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) January 26, 2023
Can Hardik Pandya and his men crush New Zealand in the T20I series?
Post the dismal exit in the 20-20 World Cup 2022, the Indian selectors are looking forward and have so far sidelined veterans Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. In all likelihood, Pandya might be the future white-ball captain of the Men in Blue and it remains to be seen if the allrounder could pull out a series win against the mighty Black Caps, carrying on with the momentum.
As far as Pandya’s captaincy record in T20Is are concerned, the right-handed batter has captained the team in 8 matches and won 6 of them, with 1 ending in a defeat and 1 with no result. It was under his captaincy, that the Gujarat franchise won the Indian T20 League in 2022 in what was their maiden appearance in the highly competitive tournament.
Here’s how fans have reacted to MS Dhoni’s visit to the Indian dressing room:
Dhoni,Gill, Hardik,Surya,Kishan in one frame 😍❤️ pic.twitter.com/eiWgt0j7bU
— Abdullah Neaz (@Abdullah__Neaz) January 26, 2023
Ab dressing room tak aa gaye ho toh ek practise session bhi kr hi lo ICT ke saath...🥺
— _Bobbaboiii_ (@IMNamanYadav9) January 26, 2023
Hardik introducing the future coach of the team INDIA
— Mohan Kumar🇮🇳 (@i_mohangowda) January 26, 2023
🥹he would be very proud meeting the double centurions
— vhrr (@vhrr16572668) January 26, 2023
Play one more worldcup man pls😭🥹
— Sai dinesh (@Saigantasala99) January 26, 2023
Giving Tips to youngsters as always...
— Saurabh Jayaswal (@criccrazy100rbh) January 26, 2023
cool captain drinking cool things as always
— HelloWorld (@ShivamK83596389) January 26, 2023
This man always put a smile in his face...
— Nishita Sarma ॐ (@Kohli_Spark) January 26, 2023
That Calm Face ❤️
Legend of the game
— itsme (@trying_smthng) January 26, 2023
Yar🥰❤️ day made
— Reenu✨️ (@reenuuu07) January 26, 2023
MSD ♥️♥️♥️
— ICT Fan (@ict_goat) January 26, 2023