KL Rahul knows what it means when MS Dhoni is in the stands – especially in Ranchi. On the eve of the first ODI against South Africa, the India captain lit up his press conference with a warm tribute to his former skipper, admitting that even this star-studded dressing room still turns into a bunch of fanboys when Dhoni is around.
Ranchi has already been buzzing after Dhoni hosted Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and other Indian players for dinner, before personally driving Kohli back to the team hotel – a video that went viral and turned into a nostalgia wave for the fans. Against the backdrop, Rahul’s words perfectly captured how Dhoni’s aura still shapes Indian cricket.
“We will be even more excited if he comes”: KL Rahul
“Obviously, sir, we’ve all played under him and have been his fans,” Rahul said when asked about Dhoni possibly attending the game. “We’ve played together as well, so we are all friends. To know someone like MS is very special. We’ve had the opportunity to get to know some as big as MS, someone who has been so successful as an Indian player, and we all respect him hugely as a human being.”
Then he shifted the focus to what Dhoni’s presence does to a ground like Ranchi. “So, if he comes to watch the match, the crowd and we will be even more excited,” KL Rahul added. “We are happy that he might be there. If the crowd turns up, we’ll also enjoy playing here, and hopefully we can win the game, put up a good performance, and entertain the crowd and MS Dhoni. He will also feel happy if we win the game.”
For India, it’s not just about sentiment. After a bruising 0-2 defeat in the Test series, the ODIs in Ranchi, Raipur, and Visakhapatnam are an early audition for the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa and a chance for Rahul’s side to reset their white-ball template. Dhoni’s presence – as a legend, a local hero, and a former World Cup-winning captain-turns that reset into a stage.
If India do get the result they want in MS Dhoni’s hometown, it will feel less like just another win and more like a small tribute to the man whose shadow still gently shelters this team.
