Wife squashes rumours about Dhoni's plans to quit cricket
- 01 Jun 2020
Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s wife Sakshi on Sunday said the iconic former India captain has had virtually no presence on social media during the COVID-19 induced lockdown and therefore the sudden trends about him hanging up his boots baffles her.
A hashtag, namely #DhoniRetires, recently started trending on social media but soon, it became apparent that it was just another false rumour.
“He has had zero presence on social media during this lockdown, I don’t know where these things come from. I just don’t know,” Sakshi said during an Instagram Live session on Chennai Super Kings’ official handle.
Sakshi had previously rubbished rumours of the veteran wicketkeeper-batsman’s retirement from international cricket following the Twitter trends.
“Its only rumours ! I understand Lockdown has made people mentally unstable ! #DhoniRetires .. Get a life ! (sic),” Sakshi had written on Twitter.
However, just a few minutes after posting the tweet, she deleted it.
Speculations over Dhoni’s retirement have been in the news ever since India’s exit in the 2019 World Cup semi-final to New Zealand as the former skipper took a sabbatical post that.
Dhoni’s return to professional cricket was one of main highlights of the 2020 season of the Indian Premier League. It was believed that his performance in IPL would decide if he will be a part of the T20 World Cup.
The IPL 13 is currently suspended indefinitely and T20 World Cup looks all set to be postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic as well. The BCCI is looking at a October-November window to stage the cash-rich league.
The common perception might be that Dhoni does not show a lot of emotion on the field and is ‘Captain Cool’. But on Sunday, his wife Sakshi said that Dhoni is always emotional about the game as it is his love.
While talking about Dhoni getting emotional after leading Chennai Super Kings to their third Indian Premier League title in 2018, Sakshi said during an Instagram Live chat on CSK’s official handle: “Mahi is always emotional about cricket. It’s his love.”
Rajasthan Royals (RR) along with CSK were making a comeback to the IPL after a two-year ban. Sakshi also revealed how the avid gamer in Dhoni helps the veteran wicketkeeper-batsman relax.
“Video games are a stress buster for him. He has a thinking brain which doesn’t rest. So video games help him and he is now too much into Call Of Duty and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG).”
Sakshi also joked that only she can pick up a fight with ice-cool Dhoni who last turned out for India during their loss to New Zealand in the 2019 World Cup semi-final.
“Nobody picks up a fight with him. I am the only one,” she smiled.
Sakshi also revealed that Dhoni has always kept his door open during tours and players could walk in any time they wanted.
“Mahi has always kept his door open. It has been like that since 2010 (when we got married). People come...we chat sometimes till 3-4 in the morning. When they come to talk to Mahi about cricket, I go away.”
Sakshi also spilled the beans on their plans to hit the hills post lockdown on a road trip provided cricket does not resume during that time.
“If there is cricket there will be cricket. But Mahi and I have planned to hit the hills. We are planning to go to Uttarakhand..stay in small villages. we will do road trips..no flights,” Sakshi said.
Sakshi also said CSK has always been a family to them.
“It is nice to be part of the family. They take the sport as sport and there are no hard feelings.”
