Deval Sahay, who played a big role in shaping up MS Dhoni's cricket career in Ranchi at an early age, is fighting for his life. The 73-year-old has multiple health issues, but currently, he is removed from the ventilator support.

The 73-year-old was put on a ventilator after being admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Jagannath Hospital in Ranchi on Tuesday.

"The good news is that the ventilator has been removed now. But he is still in the ICU," Abhinav Akash Sahay, son of Sahay, told IANS from Ranchi on Saturday.

"They will observe him for a few hours and again take his parameters - oxygen saturation level, etc. And if everything is all right then the tube will be removed," said Deval Sahay's wife Meena.

"Don't worry. Deval is a fighter and he will bounce back to his full form very quickly. God is taking good care of him," Meena added. "He is doing fine. By God's grace he is improving," she said.

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Abhinav said his father hasn't been eating lately. "He had a breathing problem as the oxygen level had dropped low. Deficiency of sodium was another issue. Initially, we feared that it was a case of coronavirus, but we were relieved when the test result came out negative. He is recovering, but it will take time, given his age," he said.

Sahay was the Director (Personnel) with Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) when he hired a young Dhoni on a stipend in 1997-98. He brought Dhoni to CCL where the then young batsman got to practice on turf pitches. 

Dhoni's first captain at the CCL, Adil Hussain visited the hospital on Sunday afternoon to check on his mentor's health.

"I've just returned from the hospital and I heard doctors attending to Mr. Sahay say positive things about his health. I heard one doctor instructing someone to keep Mr. Sahay engaged and not let him sleep for medical reasons," said Hussain.

"Along with me, my and Dhoni's former CCL teammates like Pushpak Lala and Sanjay Singh, besides former Ranchi Cricket Association secretary Sunil Singh, have been regularly visiting the hospital to enquire about his health."

(WITH IANS INPUTS)