Former Indian skipper MS Dhoni is one of the most admired cricketers to have played the game. While the legends have praised him for his genius, and ability to read the situation of the game like only he can, the youngsters look up to him as well as he understands the game and the challenges come with it. Thus, anyone and everyone playing with or against him wants to pick his brains.
During the IPL, several players are seen listening to Dhoni whether Indian or overseas and similar thing was on display after the tense India vs Pakistan match at the T20 World Cup 2021.
Several young Pakistan cricketers were seen listening and talking to Dhoni, who was Team India’s mentor for the tournament. One of the players, Haris Rauf, who has comes leaps and bounds in the last year or so as white-ball bowlers recollected the meeting with the legendary cricketer.
Rauf said that he had asked Dhoni for a Chennai Super Kings jersey and not the Indian one and the recalled the moment when he finally received it in January this year, when he was in Australia playing the Big Bash League.
“I met MS Dhoni after the game against India at the T20 World Cup last year. I asked him to give me one of his shirts. But I told him that I wanted a CSK jersey and not the Team India one. He told me that he will surely send me that. I finally received it when I was in Australia,” said Rauf on The Grade Cricketers Podcast.
Rauf iconically was one of the net bowlers on India’s tour of Australia 2018/19 before even making his debut for Pakistan. Rauf talked about Team India all-rounder Hardik Pandya‘s prophecy about him playing for his country soon.
“The Indian team’s manager wanted some net bowlers who could bowl to the batters in Australia. I felt it would be a great opportunity for me to bowl to international cricketers. I bowled to the likes of Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli in the nets. Hardik Pandya was bowling alongside me and he told me that I was doing good and that he’s sure that I’d soon be playing for the Pakistan team,” he added.
