MS Dhoni's 39th birthday has been all over social media ever since the clock ticked past midnight. Dhoni's senior and junior teammates wished him and paid tribute to the only captain to win all three major ICC events, while his millions of fans flooded Twitter and Instagram with his pictures and art-work dedicated to him.
READ ALSO: Team India members wish MS Dhoni a hearty birthday as he turns 39
But on Tuesday (July 7), the Pandya brothers, Hardik and Krunal went the extra mile literally as they traveled all the way to Ranchi to surprise the former Indian captain on his special day. Dhoni had taken a sabbatical from cricket before the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak ensured everyone was locked indoors since March this year.
Hardik, who probably has not been able to meet Dhoni since last July, when India's World Cup campaign came to a heart-breaking end, was the first among Indian cricketers to wish 'Captain Cool' on his birthday last night on Twitter. He is quite close to Dhoni and that's why he along with Krunal defied the pandemic to travel to Ranchi.
Here are the tweets of Hardik and Krunal for Dhoni:
Speaking to IANS, a source said that the brothers left for Ranchi on Tuesday and are most likely to return on Wednesday.
"It is no secret that Hardik considers Dhoni as not only his mentor, but also his elder brother. He has often spoken about the kind of guidance he has got from Dhoni. Similarly, Krunal also respects him a lot. So, they decided to take a chartered flight to Ranchi today and are likely to return tomorrow after celebrating Dhoni''s birthday. It was a surprise planned for the former India skipper," the source revealed.
One of Dhoni's fan clubs on Instagram shared a video of the Pandya brothers on their arrival in Ranchi, where they were flocked by the fans and media.
