Before MS Dhoni, Dinesh Karthik debuted for India as a wicketkeeper-batsman. While Dhoni later went on to become the most successful wicketkeeper-batsman, Karthik’s place in the team suffered due to his unavailability. With the competition getting tough, former India cricketer Aakash Chopra revealed that the Ranchi batsman used to bowl to Karthik in the nets.

Indian player Aakash Chopra also shared a funny anecdote related to Dhoni. He said that while playing for India A, Dhoni played a shot which he did not practice in the nets. It was in 2004, when Aakash Chopra and MS Dhoni were in Bangalore for India A’s camp.

Akash Chopra made a big revelation about MS Dhoni

Akash Chopra, while recalling his old days with MS Dhoni, said that ‘Dhoni and I have a very old relationship. I had played for India by then. We had a camp in Bangalore. When I reached the hotel, I was told that Dhoni is my roommate. I was told that he is from Ranchi. I had seen Dhoni playing in the Deodhar Trophy earlier as well. Where he had scored a lot of runs. Apart from this, I did not know him much at that time.

Then we were roommates in Bangalore for a month. Dhoni was carefree. While playing for India, he played a reverse sweepshot against a Pakistani bowler named Iftikhar Anjum which was beyond my imagination. Because I had never seen Dhoni hit such a shot in the nets. Dhoni did not bat much in the nets. He used to bowl to other batsmen in the nets except Dinesh Karthik.

Akash further said, ‘Dhoni’s phone used to ring a lot. But he never picked up the phone. ‘Once I asked Dhoni what time he sleeps. He said that you can sleep whenever you feel like it. Dhoni was a non-vegetarian and I was a vegetarian. But he ate vegetarian food for 1 month for me. He was also very shy at that time.’