Veteran cricketer and captain of the Chennai Super Kings Mahendra Singh Dhoni enjoys a massive following of fans around the world and his fans generally leave no stone unturned to catch a glimpse of the wicket-keeper hitter in person. Several fans in the past have breached security, running onto the field just to express their gratitude to the man and in some cases even touching the cricketer’s feet.
But what if we told you that his recent “fan” interaction was with an opponent that he would face later in the day?
On Tuesday, Chennai Super Kings came out for their second match of the 2020 IPL against the Rajasthan Royals who were set to play their first match of the season.
Yashasvi Jaiswal, 18, who debuted with his Rajasthan Royals team after their heroics at this year’s U19 World Cup, had the perfect opportunity to meet the legend in person after Dhoni won the draw and asked him to RR. hit first.
When Dhoni was seen saluting his opponents, hitting them with his fist (pandemic effect), Jaiswal smiled and gestured MS with clasped hands.
Jaiswal’s “fanboy” moment photo instantly went viral on Twitter, as fans called it a gesture of respect towards the 39-year-old Indian cricketer.
Read also: Meet Yashasvi Jaiswal from Rajasthan Royals who sold Pani Puri and slept in a shop
“The impact of the senior professional and the simplicity of the rookie was a pleasure to witness,” noted one user.
This, however, is not the only case where Dhoni and a fan come face to face on the cricket field.
During the IPL season last year, two Mahi fans breached security to get close to the Chennai Super Kings patron in an IPL match against Delhi Capitals at Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium.
17 times during the live match … 3 times during the practice session … 5th time in 2019 … Fans breached security to touch dhoni feet. 🙏He is without a doubt the most popular cricketer in the world. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/F8hwcjw1Z0
– DHONIsm ™ ❤️ (@DHONIism) March 26, 2019
In the same year, during the third and final T20I between India and New Zealand, Hamilton fans witnessed something similar.
The incident occurred when a fan walked to the ground and ran directly towards Dhoni, who was taking the stumps. Armed with an Indian flag, the delighted fan knelt, then touched Mahi’s feet and handed the flag to her before authorities took it away.
Highlights of the incident aired during the second inning as India chased, leaving commentators stunned.
Meanwhile, CSK emerged as the winner against the defending champions of the Mumbai Indians. Dhoni’s CSK managed to cross MI’s target of 163 with four deliveries and five windows to spare.
You can watch the Battle of Chennai Super Kings Vs Rajasthan Royals in Sharjah here.
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