We asked you Dear Readers for your memories, pictures and videos, of meeting Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
The first collection of responses are in!
Kaushal H Khara from Ranchi:
I was part of the school team with Mahi --DAV Shyamali, Ranchi. I have fond memories of the game where he scored a double hundred in the final of an inter-school match in 1997-1998.
Have never met him in person after that as I stay in Ahmedabad. I was in Ranchi in 2018, when I saw him practice at the JCA.
I would love to meet him once if this message can somehow reach him. I am attaching a school team pic. I am standing 3rd from left.
Preet Mohan Singh:
I met Mahendra Singh Dhoni and several other cricketers over breakfast at their hotel before the Mohali Test during Australia's tour of India in 2008.
It was a very brief meeting, but I remember him being very humble and polite. That was about the time he was rising to the top.
I remember him showing me his bat and I wishing him good luck for the day. He went on to score 92.
I think he was at the other end that day when Tendulkar became the highest run scorer, breaking Brian Lara's record of 11,953 runs.
Prashanth Raghavendra:
I have met Dhoni on several occasions in London and India.
My first meeting -- the greatness about Dhoni is he makes sure he leaves his hotel room 5 minutes early to catch the team bus. This is because he wants to give time to his fans.
I was bowled over by this nature of his. I had a 2-3 minute chat with him while only me and Dhoni walked to the bus talking, this was in London.
My second meeting -- Mahi told me to get a nice phone as my phone camera had a problem while taking a pic.
Third meeting -- I took my daughter, Sinchana Prashanth, on her birthday to Kolkata to meet him.
He was so nice, he gave her a chocolate box.
Fourth meeting -- I met Dhoni in London again, a couple of my close friends (Ashwin Punja) are close to Dhoni as well, so we had a chat and while taking a pic, he took my phone and clicked a pic himself.
He is so, so humble and down to earth, I can't even imagine for his stature.
Pinakin Shah from Vadodara:
Along with my sons Rahil and Rachit I met Dhoni in 2008 in Hyderabad during the IPL.
We had breakfast and clicked photographs with him.
He was cordial, friendly and down to earth.
Sankalp Sharma from Varanasi:
I am a big fan Of M S Dhoni and I got this great opportunity to meet him in person in my very own town... Varanasi.
Around 3-4 years back M S Dhoni was in Varanasi along with his friends, visiting a gym named Sports Fit.
I was an active member of the gym and was in the gym at the time. Around 6-6.15 pm a Hummer car stood under the building and out walked M S Dhoni from the car.
The crowd along with me went hysterical and started shouting.... DHONI... DHONI... He entered the gym and started running on the treadmill.
He stayed there for about 3 to 3 1/2 hours and met a lot of his fans there.
It was one of the most memorable days of my life -- meeting my cricket hero .... living legend ... M S Dhoni...
Anthony Ralph from Mumbai:
I met MSD on August 23, 2013 at an inauguration of our product when I was working for Lafarge India. I just asked him how are you and he wished me back.
Have you met Dhoni?
If you have, please tell us how that meeting went.
Please mail it to us at sportsdesk@rediff.co.in with the subject line 'When I met Dhoni' along with your name, information, photographs and videos about your meeting with Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
