Former Indian skipper, MS Dhoni decided to call it a day on his international career with a cryptic post on Instagram, on Saturday, bringing the curtain down on a career of over 15 years. But the MS Dhoni who has been regarded as one of the megastars of international cricket, had a fairly modest beginning, as was recalled by Adil Hussain, who captained MS in the Central Coal Limited (CCL) team, where Dhoni played from 1997 till 2002, while he was a standard XII student.

A nostalgic Adil Hussain, during a recent chat with talking to NDTV, recalled, “Dhoni had full confidence in his skills and talent and it felt like his life was centered around cricket. Maybe that is why he left his job with the Railways to boost his career. Amazingly, he never let the enormous success get to his head and till today he is very down to earth and humble. He still catches up with his old friends. That’s his style!”

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Whenever Dhoni had come over to Adil’s place, he would just pick up the bat and enjoy playing cricket. If he was hungry, MS would remind Adil’s mother that it was time for food and then they together sit and eat, Adil recalled.

Recalling the old days, Adil said, “He was full of self-confidence and his focus was simply outstanding. He was a match-winner from his school days. Not many people know that Dhoni had to struggle a lot before making it to the international level. He was never troubled by an awkward situation and that helped him to play freely and show the world his mettle and skills.”

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He further added, “He is such a big and successful star yet he has never let pride come in the way he interacts with people. He has never demeaned or hurt a single soul. Whenever he would be with his old friends and fellow cricketers, he would remain grounded and never acted like a megastar.”