MS Dhoni undergoing training with Indian Army's elite para brigade

MS Dhoni undergoing training with Indian Army’s elite para brigade: India’s ODI captain MS Dhoni, is undergoing a 2-week initial training with the elite Para regiment of the force in Agra. It is expected that the ace cricketer, who had written to the Army authorities to undertake the training, will do five parachute jumps once he finishes his course.

Dhoni was conferred the honorary rank of a Lt Col, in November 2011 and had said that his first ambition was to become an army officer but destiny steered him into cricket. While Dhoni is the first cricketer in the world to train as a paratrooper, he is not the first or only sportsperson to attain an honorary Army rank – cricketer Kapil Dev and shooter Abhinav Bindra too were ‘commissioned’.

“His two-week training will now start with classroom lessons followed by basic toughening exercises along with fellow paratrooper trainees,” said group captain Basantkumar B Pande, public relations officer (defence), Allahabad and Lucknow. He will undergo the training at the Indian Air Force’s Paratroopers Training School.

Dhoni’s love for the Army is not hidden from anybody. Once asked about it he had said “I focus on cricket because it is something I am good at. After retiring I want to serve the Army. It has always been about serving the nation”

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He reported to the Para Brigade, Agra for initial training in Para Jump on August 5. He is expected to do five jumps after two week training, Defence Ministry spokesperson Sitanshu Kar said.

Dhoni had in 2011 donned the uniform of a commando and had then said, “It’s a real honour as I always wanted to be part of the Indian Army. It’s (joining the Indian Army) something that I always wanted to achieve as a kid and now that I have donned the olive greens, my dream has been fulfilled”. Since then, Dhoni has maintained that he would definitely want to serve the Army actively once he bids adieu to the game.