MS Dhoni can give any of us stiff competition, he looks the fittest: KL Rahul

India batter KL Rahul was delighted after MS Dhoni came back to the national setup after a gap of two years. After playing in the 2019 World Cup, Dhoni retired from international cricket in August 2020. The 40-year-old has now been appointed Team India’s mentor for the 2021 edition of the T20 World Cup in Oman and the United Arab Emirates.

Rahul, who scored a sparkling half-century against England in the warm-up match on Monday, said that Dhoni’s presence brings in a “sense of calmness” in the dressing room. Rahul also mentioned that the Jharkhand-born veteran hasn’t run out of gas and is amongst the fittest.

Rahul, who recently played for the Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League, put forth his opinions on Dhoni while speaking during a Clubhouse session on 10 years of Red Bull Campus Cricket.

It is good fun to have him, says KL Rahul

“Obviously, MS Dhoni (being) back with the team feels amazing because we have played under him and we have looked towards him as a mentor even when he was our captain,” Rahul was quoted as saying, News 18 reported.

“We loved having him in the dressing room when he was the captain. We loved the calmness. We have all looked up to him to help us out. This gives us a sense of calmness; I have enjoyed spending time with him in the first two to three days. Looking forward to chewing his brain about cricket, captaincy and all things cricket,” he stated.

“I think Dhoni can give any of us stiff competition, he definitely is a guy who can hit the ball farthest, he is very strong and he is good (while running) between the wickets. He looks the fittest, it is good fun to have him,” Rahul added.

Dhoni recently played for the four-time champions Chennai Super Kings in the 2021 IPL. There he said that he has a chance to play the 2022 edition as well. However, it’s been learned that the CSK are waiting for the BCCI to reveal the retention rules before they can take a decision. Dhoni also conjured praises from former BCCI chief N Srinivasan.