Sport
Jharkhand, led by Ishan Kishan recently clinched their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) title after defeating Haryana in the final in Pune. The historic victory also marked the state’s first major domestic limited-overs trophy since the Vijay Hazare Trophy in 2010-11.
While Ishan’s blistering century and “bhangra” celebration stole the spotlight in Pune, the blueprint for Jharkhand’s maiden SMAT triumph was drafted months ago in Ranchi, under the watchful eyes of a man who wasn’t even in the dugout – Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
According to Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA) joint secretary Shahbaz Nadeem, MS Dhoni played a significant behind-the-scenes role in Jharkhand’s historic first ever SMAT title victory.
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Sport MS Dhoni Role In Jharkhand’s SMAT Win
Following Jharkhand’s dominant win over Haryana in the Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) final, the Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA) has revealed the extent of the former Indian captain’s behind-the-scenes involvement.
According to Nadeem, former India spinner and current JSCA joint secretary, Dhoni acted as the team’s unofficial mentor and chief strategist, playing a pivotal role in the structural overhaul that preceded the season.
He revealed that Dhoni’s involvement went far beyond general advice. The legendary wicketkeeper-batter was deeply invested in the granular details of the squad and his impact was also visible in the administrative decisions taken before the season began.
The JSCA appointed Ratan Kumar as head coach, rewarding his eight years of involvement in various coaching roles across Jharkhand’s age-group cricket, while Sunny Gupta was named the bowling coach. Both those appointments were made on the advice of Dhoni, legendary former India captain.
“When we started the season, right from the appointment of the coaching staff, we have always taken his [Dhoni’s] advice and suggestions. And he also has a keen interest in the Jharkhand team. He wants them to do well. It feels good that such a big player is paying close attention to our team,” Nadeem was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.
“And I’ll tell you something, he follows every game very closely. He followed the entire [SMAT] tournament, noted all the strengths and weaknesses of the players and discussed with us. He knows the stats and numbers of each domestic player from Jharkhand. He is very interested in helping Jharkhand cricket grow,” he added.
During their victorious SMAT campaign, Jharkhand won 10 of the 11 matches. They also topped a group that had three former champions in Delhi, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
Sport MS Dhoni Prepares For IPL 2026 Season
Former India captain MS Dhoni is set to return for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the IPL 2026 season. This follows a disappointing IPL 2025 for CSK, where they finished last.
The 44-year-old has been training rigorously in Ranchi – including gym sessions, power-hitting practice, and match simulations – to stay fit for the upcoming season. Notably, the IPL 2026, the high-octane T20 tournament is set to begin on Thursday, March 26.
While some reports and former players speculate this could be Dhoni’s final IPL, no official retirement announcement has been so far.
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