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Anil Kumble Praises ‘Heavyweight’ MSD: Recalls MS Dhoni as First to Lift Him Up, Mentions Tendulkar in Grand Tribute

The trophy-laden T20 player MS Dhoni is enjoying the conclusion of his career, but veteran Indian cricketer Anil Kumble won’t be shocked if the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) star decides to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for one more season. The flamboyant captain of CSK, Dhoni, arrived in Chennai last week for the 2024 IPL. Even before the new season began, Dhoni’s arrival in Chennai caused a stir on the internet. Drawing comparisons between Dhoni and Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar, legendary spin bowler Kumble remembered collaborating with the captain of CSK. Although Kumble, the former captain of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), did not play IPL cricket with Dhoni, the Little Master and the former Indian captain shared a locker room. When Dhoni led the Men in Blue from the front, Kumble was the coach of Team India. Additionally, the former captain of India served as a mentor for Tendulkar’s MI team.

‘Never played with MS Dhoni in the IPL’

“In the IPL, I never played with MS.” In our days as Indian squad colleagues, he was the first to encourage me. His ability to lift such a big thing must have made him the strongest member of the bunch. It was a wonderful moment for me. During our one-day game in Ranchi, when I was the coach and he was the captain, we had an optional practice. Since Ranchi is his hometown, he was not required to go. However, he was present for the meeting. “What are you doing?” I asked. There are still a few days until the next game. “No, I just want to be around,” he remarked. He is that Kumble said to Star Sports. RCB won the 2009 IPL title under Kumble, often known as Jumbo. Kumble was appointed as the team’s principal mentor by Tendulkar’s Mumbai Indians in 2013. For three years, Kumble was the Mumbai team’s coach and a five-time winner. The Men in Blue won the Indian Premier League and the 2013 Champions League in his first season in Mumbai. Mumbai also emerged victorious in the Indian Premier League in 2015.

‘Sachin was the same’: Kumble recalls his IPL stint with MI

Sachin remained unchanged. Sachin had played cricket for the Mumbai Indians for perhaps 25 or 26 years at that point. However, he would board the bus first thing on days when it was optional. I don’t think these two people are able to take a vacation. Given that MS chooses to play for CSK, I won’t be shocked if he does so in the future. He wants to be there because he is so enthusiastic,” Kumble continued.

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CSK vs. RCB: Dhoni to headline the IPL 2024 opener

The CSK team, led by Dhoni, is presently preparing for camp. A few players that have already committed to the CSK group for the 2024 Indian Premier League are Prashant Solanki, Ajay Mandal, Shaik Rasheed, Nishant Sindhu, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Simarjeet Singh, Mukesh Choudhary, and Prashant Chahar. Virat Kohli’s RCB and Mahendra Singh Badree’s CSK will play their first IPL 2024 match on March 22.

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