"Has He Picked Up The Phone?" MS Dhoni's Habit Called Out Amid Mentorship Rumours

Rumours have circulated around the cricket world around the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) possibly offering legendary former India captain MS Dhoni a mentorship role with the Indian team ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026. Dhoni, who previously served as India's mentor for the T20 World Cup 2021, has kept his playing career active even at the age of 44, playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for Chennai Super Kings (CSK). However, Dhoni's former India and IPL teammate Manoj Tiwary isn't sure whether the former would pick up the phone to respond to the offer.

"Only time shall tell. He has been given the offer. Woh phone uthaye hain na? (Has he picked up the phon?) Because it is difficult to reach him on the phone," Tiwary said, speaking to ANI.

"Replies to messages from him are also very rare; many players have said this. Will he read the message or not? We don't know," Tiwary added.

Dhoni keeps a low profile away from the IPL, with fans getting only a few snippets of the former India captain throughout the course of a year.

As a result, even if he has received an offer, Tiwary isn't sure Dhoni will be available for it. However, Tiwary showed no doubt that Dhoni's presence would be a boost for the Indian players.

"The first thing is whether he will accept the role or not. It's very difficult for me to predict what impact he will have. His experience as a captain and as a player will be very useful, as the new players emerging today and upcoming stars of the Indian team give him a lot of respect," Tiwary said.

Tiwary also threw into the hat the prospect of Dhoni and India's head coach Gautam Gambhir working together, and speculated on how that dynamic may shape up.

"The pairing of MS Dhoni and Gautam Gambhir will also be worth watching," Tiwary stated.

Topics mentioned in this article

MS Dhoni Manoj Tiwary Gautam Gambhir India Cricket Team Cricket