Kolkata: Every young cricketer wants to take a leaf out of Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s book. A leaf where one can get to know how the two-time World Cup-winning skipper’s mind works on and off the field. And if you get to meet Dhoni in person and talk for even one minute, there is nothing more precious in life than that.
A similar thing happened with Odisha off-spinner Pappu Roy. “It was sometime around 2014 when England had toured India. I was playing for Dalhousie Club at that time and got called as India team net bowler,” Roy told exclusively to Sportslight Media.
“I bowled to Mahendra Singh Dhoni at the nets, not only him but the entire India team. The skipper played me with patience. I wasn’t able to beat him even once but he stepped out a couple of times. After the practice, one of the net bowlers asked Dhoni, ‘how to succeed in life?’ I was also there in front. Dhoni said, ‘Samundar mein utroge to tairna sikh jaoge (Once you get into the sea, you will learn how to swim)’,” recalled Roy.
“Those six words changed my life.” Dhoni announced his retirement from international cricket on August 15 putting an end to a glittering 16-year-old career. Not only he has won several matches for India during his tenure but also gave the countrymen their favourite three moments in India cricket history. He led India to the 2007 T20 World Cup win in South Africa, 2011 ODI World Cup victory at home and the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy triumph in England.
Just after Dhoni announced his decision on an Instagram post, another India batsman Suresh Raina too declared his retirement from international cricket. Roy had memories with the southpaw too having played alongside him for India C in their triumphant 2018-19 Deodhar Trophy campaign.
“I am in complete shock. I am still numb. I don’t know what to say to him. I had messaged him a couple of days before just when he left for Chennai to join his CSK teammates,” said the left-arm spinner. Both Dhoni and Raina will play for Chennai Super Kings in the upcoming edition of the IPL which will be held in UAE from September 19.
