MSD - The story behind the scene

Dhoni is his younger days with his school team DAV Jawahar Vidyamandir

Dhoni started out as a footballer and is a cricket convert. It was only when his school didnt have a regular
wicketkeeper that his school physical exercise teacher summoned the football goalie to don the gloves.
And thatwas that.

SUITABLE BOY: Pictures from M S Dhoni’s album

Today, Dhonis known for his explosive batting. But when he was younger, that was more by compulsion than will. Dhoni used to bat lower down the order and hardly got any overs to bat. But his coach soon realised his big hitting talent and promoted him to open for the next season.
Dhoni duly obliged, hitting 213 and sharing an opening wicket partnership of 373, creating an inter- school record which locals say still stands.While still in school, Dhoni received an offer to play for RND SAIL. In fact, he was also a handy medium-pacer.
Dhoni broke into the Bihar Ranji side in 1999- 2000, but couldnt make an impression for the next three seasons because he batted lower down the order. During permanent job and worked on a stipend. He bought his first bike with this money, a second hand RX 100 Yamaha.



Tennis ball cricket champ (making of Halicopter shot)
Dhoni got an offer from South Eastern Railways in 2001. He loved Ranchi because of his family and his
close friends, but accepted the post of a ticket collector in Kharagpur (two hoursfrom Kolkata) because he

Kharagpur station where Dhoni is still listed as a Ticket Collector

needed the job. The sleepy little town, known for having the longest platform in the world, has a big railway
workshop and mostly houses Kharagpur played cricket more with the tennis ball. For big tournaments, as many as 20,000 people came to watch. Dhoni became a rage in Kharagpur for his smashes.
His famous shot, HALICOPTER SHOTa typical slog to a yorker ball, is the product of tennis ball Kharagpur was the first time Dhoni was away from home. He stayed withquarter. Since Kharagpur gets heavy rain, water snakes would enter the rooms and Dhoni was petrified of them. Mahi doesnt know how to
cook, but did all the cleaning, Dhoni is very close to his friends and hosts themat Taj Bengal whenever he
comes to Kolkata.





Dont call me if we lose
Dhoni always had breakfast at a roadside joint and loved to wander through Kharagpurs market. He is a
shy guy, basically an introvert. He loves milk and is very fond of dry fruits, adds Kumar. Dhoni also loves
chicken and chowmein.
Dhoni didnt have a TV then and used to go an STD booth to watch matches. Imagine, he is captaining some players he used tocriticise! dhoni's friends knew that Dhoni was a good player, but no one knew he would play for India, let alone lead it,  Dhoni is known for his hair, but the story goes that his close school friend Gautam Upadhyaya had long hair and Dhoni admired it. Gautamoni  advised Dhoni to grow it out
Dhoni also tires easily of his cell phone. Its always on silent. He hardly attends calls, but always checks his
smses. He gets so many missed calls,
 So how do friends getthrough?
Mahi always says Dont call me before a match or if we lose. If we win, callme the next day and I will
answer your phone




Life as a celebrity
Whenever Dhoni comes to his house, there are hundreds of girls who stand out and shout: Dhoni, I love you.
They create havoc, says Dhonis watchman. Now his house has five security guards posted outside. While the Home Guards were posted earlier, Jharkhand Police has taken over for the past two months. Dhonis brother Narendra is fed up with media queries over how much milk the family buys because of the perception that Dhoni is a milk-guzzler. After the controversy over his new construction,his parents have become reclusive.Rumours say that Dhoni is  having an astro-turf and synthetic pitch, as well as a bowling machine so he can practise whenever he is at home.



We plead with him to ride his bike
Dhonis friends swear he hasnt changed and he hasntgiven up riding his army of bikes. Nowadays he only

Dhoni used to have his daily breakfast and chai at Thomas’s tea stall

takes his bike out early in the morning, says a friend. Are they allowed to ride his super bikes? When Mahi is not around, nobody can touch his bikes. We have to plead to allow us a ride, but he gives



The personal LIFE, LIKES and DISLIKES
Dhoni is a teetotaler, but loves making pegs for his friends Has two dogs, Sam, a German shepherd and Zara, a
Labrador. Sam is named from Thats the way, Mahi way!\ the TV show I Dream Of Jeanie and Zara after the movie Veer Zara Loves to listen to Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar Is allergic to cell phones Loves chicken, milkshakes, ice-creams (he can eat three chocobars at a time) andchocolates but never eats curd.