'We had many conversations that helped both of us' - MS Dhoni opens up on his bond with Virat Kohli

MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli are two stalwarts of the Indian Premier League (IPL), having played in the tournament for the last 18 years. The two have also shared many great moments in international cricket. Recently, the former CSK skipper opened up about his bond with the legendary top-order batter.

Though Dhoni and Kohli have never played together for a franchise in the prestigious league, it has not affected the bond they shared on the field during their days representing India in international cricket. Both players have an outstanding record in the IPL, which fans will remember for a long time.

The 43-year-old talismanic wicketkeeper-batter explained about their camaraderie through an example of a run chase situation. He said if Kohli got out in a pressure situation, he often discussed openly about his approach and possible blunders in his gameplay. Moreover, he would also talk about the possible solutions for them.

“For example, in a run chase, if he got out at a crucial moment, he would talk about whether he could have delayed taking a risk by an over or handled the situation differently. We had many conversations, and that helped both of us. It was always an honest exchange of ideas—whether a certain approach was right or if an adjustment could have been made. Initially, it was more of a relationship between a captain and a young player, but over time, as we kept interacting, we became friends," Dhoni said on JioHotstar.

"Even today, we share that bond, though there’s always a line of respect between a senior and a junior. Now that neither of us is captain, we get more time to talk before matches. Earlier, before the toss, we had to prepare and go, but now we can just stand and have a chat,” the three-time ICC title-winning skipper added.

Right from the start, Virat was someone who wanted to contribute: Dhoni

Besides, MS Dhoni also revealed why he shares a great bond with the RCB batter, highlighting Virat Kohli’s hunger to score runs and win games for his team, along with the insightful conversations they have had. He also spoke about how their relationship evolved from that of a captain and a young player into a friendship between two legends of the game.

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“Right from the start, Virat was someone who wanted to contribute. He was never satisfied with scoring just 40 or 60 runs—he always aimed for a century and wanted to remain not out till the end. That hunger for success was there from the beginning. If you look at the Sri Lanka series, where he was part of the squad, he went back after that and then returned with an even stronger game," he stated.

"The way he worked on his batting, improved his fitness, and maintained his will to perform and keep improving—that’s what set him apart. He was always eager to learn. He would come and discuss situations, analysing what he could have done differently,” Dhoni concluded.