Swashbuckling Team India batter Shubman Gill paid a special tribute to the former India captain MS Dhoni before the fourth Test against England, which will be played in Dhoni’s hometown of Ranchi. Gill also said that it doesn’t matter where the team plays, Dhoni is always missed by the entire nation as well. However, Team India will take on England in the fourth Test at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi starting on Friday, February 23 as well.

At a press conference before the Ranchi Test, Gill was asked for his thoughts on MS Dhoni since the match is going to be played in his hometown.  “The whole of India misses Mahi bhai a lot. It doesn’t matter where you play, in Ranchi or anywhere else,” Gill shared.

However, MS Dhoni remains a massively popular figure in Indian cricket despite retiring from international cricket way back in 2020. He will next be seen in action during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. The veteran led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to a record-equalling fifth title win in the 2023 season as well.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel made his Test debut in the last India-England clash in Rajkot. Like most Indian players, he too has had a MS Dhoni fanboy moment as well.

Speaking about the same, Jurel told bcci.tv: “I was just watching him and stood up, like ‘is this MS Dhoni standing in front of me’. That was the first time I interacted with MS Dhoni, so I was just pinching myself, ‘Is this a dream?’ I met him in 2021, I guess, my first year of IPL. I asked him, ‘can I have one photo with you’ and we clicked a photo. He gave me one advice — just go out, watch the ball and play.”

“It is always my dream to meet Mahi bhai. The last I met him was in IPL, but I wanted to meet him in India jersey. Whenever I spoke to him, I got to learn some things and that helped a lot in my cricket. I will try to meet Mahi bhai in Ranchi and talk to him,” Dhruv Jurel concluded.