One of the all-time greats in cricket, MS Dhoni is a legend of the sport, respected as much for his contributions off the field as for his character. The wicket-keeper batsman has begun training ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season, even though he is no longer an international player. Although supporters were happy to see Dhoni return to cricket, his bat sticker grabbed media attention. Dhoni received a lot of praise for his gesture towards his longtime friend, which involved using the name of the latter's shop on the sticker on his bat. However, it wasn't the first time Dhoni had shown kindness to a stranger.
The batsman from Ranchi, who was born in India, used a bat made by BAS in the early years of his career. This is not the first tale that has surfaced on social media.
The owner of BAS, Mr. Somi Kohli, disclosed in a social media video how Dhoni turned down a lucrative contract in exchange for a bat manufacturer's sticker as payback for the assistance he received in his initial cricketing years.
Dhoni did not mention any money. He just said 'Put your stickers on my bats and send them across'. I tried to convince him, 'You're letting go of such a lucrative contract'. He refused crores of rupees worth of contract. I requested his wife Sakshi, his father, mother. Even told his CA and Paramjit from Ranchi. They all went to his home before the World Cup. But he said 'No... it is my decision
~Mr. Kohli said in a video on the Sports Launchpad YouTube channel.
Recently, a photo of Dhoni playing in the nets with a "Prime Sports" bat went viral on social media. The former captain of India took this action as a way to repay his friend, the owner of the nearby sports store.
Even the legendary Adam Gilchrist discussed Dhoni's gesture while providing analysis during Australia and the West Indies' second T20 International.