Ex-India cricketer MS Dhoni went on to become one of the most successful captains in the world. He led India to three major ICC trophies apart from number one in Test rankings for the first time.
Dhoni's former teammates had not thought he would be so successful as a captain for India. Former India batsman Mohammad Kaif said his first impression of Dhoni is from a Duleep Trophy match.
“The first time I noticed Dhoni, I was the captain of the Central Zone in the Duleep Trophy. And he was playing for East Zone, not as a captain, a wicketkeeper. He had also toured for India A,” Kaif said on the Cricket Connected Show on Star Sports.
Kaif said his friend had informed about Dhoni and told him to watch him out. The former India captain was famous for his long hair in his initial days. Along with the hairstyle, Dhoni's power-hitting became his identity.
“I had a friend in Lucknow who told me ‘Kaif, there is a player. Watch him. He has long hair and I’ve never seen anyone hit sixes like he does. All of us who were playing at that time - I, Zaheer, Harbhajan, Sehwag - none of us thought that he could captain India the way he did, who would lift Indian cricket to such heights,” Kaif added.
Kaif was part of the Indian team when Dhoni debut for India in the year 2004 against Bangladesh. He was run-out without opening his account, while Kaif scored 80 off 111 balls to help India beat Bangladesh by eight wickets.
(Inputs from Cricket Connected Show on Star Sports)
