Ravindra Jadeja recalled his first meeting with MS Dhoni and how he’s still hesitant to meet the legendary cricketer when he is not in the mood. Thanks to their more than ten-year collaboration with Chennai Super Kings, Jadeja and Dhoni are renowned for their enduring friendship.

Under Dhoni's tutelage, the left-arm all-rounder also made his debut for his country, and his ascent on the international scene was greatly influenced by the former captain's early encouragement.

The friendship between the two is evident on and off the field during every IPL season, even though Dhoni has already retired from international cricket. The picture of Dhoni raising Jadeja after he scored the game-winning runs to help CSK win the IPL 2023 championship will never be forgotten.  

Jadeja talked candidly about his first airplane encounter with Dhoni in 2005 in an interview with CSK teammate Ravichandran Ashwin. He admitted that he was apprehensive to even see him, which is still occasionally the case now.

"I first met MS Dhoni during the Challengers Trophy 2005 in Chennai. I was coming from Mumbai, and I guess he was also coming from there in the same flight. I was sitting in the economy class, and he was sitting in the business class. Everybody was saying Dhoni is sitting in front there, but I was hesitant to meet him. Even now, I still get hesitant to meet him when he is not in the mood," Jadeja said on R Ashwin's YouTube channel.

Jadeja was asked by Ashwin if Dhoni, who is renowned for his cool and collected manner, ever loses his temper.

In response, Jadeja claimed that although the CSK icon doesn't express his anger verbally, it is evident from the expression on his face.

"He doesn't say anything, but it's clearly visible on his face that he is not in the mood," he added.

Jadeja further stated that he is still hesitant to meet MS Dhoni, and once he decided to leave when the ex-IND skipper's phone dropped on the flight.

"At that time, I was a kid, so it was like he was MS Dhoni, and when I saw him on the flight, he had long hair. Our manager said that we have to go with Dhoni from the airport to the team hotel. I was hesitant and thought, how can I go with him? Luckily, his phone got dropped on the floor and he had to wait. I thought this was the chance to get out of there, at that time I used to think about what I would talk to him, he is MS Dhoni," he concluded.

Jadeja and Dhoni were seen playing together for CSK in IPL 2025, where the yellow franchise finished at the bottom place for the first time in their IPL history.