Two of the greatest cricketers of their generation, MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli share a camaraderie that isn't hidden from anyone. Kohli made his debut under 'captain' Dhoni and also experienced some of his biggest achievements under his guidance. Both led their respective Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises too for a long time but head into the 2025 season without the leadership load on their shoulders. In an interview, Dhoni shared the essence of his relationship with Kohli, even explaining why he wouldn't reveal the text he had sent the batting maestro when he stepped down as India's Test captain.
Kohli has often spoken about Dhoni being the only cricketing personality who texted him when he decided to quitthe Test captaincy of the Indian team. When Dhoni was asked about the same in an interview with JioHotstar, he said that he would talk about the relationship he has with Virat but not that message.
"I will talk about the relationship, not the message. I like to keep it the way it is. What it does is, it lets other cricketers come to me and ask if they have anything in their mind," Dhoni said.
Dhoni also explained his stance, saying he would not reveal the details in order to maintain the integrity of the confidence players have shown in him by sharing their issues.
"They have the feeling: 'Speak whatever you want to him, nothing will come out. Whatever we speak, a third person wouldn't know it'. That trust is very important, especially for cricketers who you have not played with, who you might never play with. But, hey might need some help, regarding cricket, regarding life. So, I have kept it that way," he added.
Dhoni also expressed his admiration for Kohli, highlighting the sort of batter he went on to become, while also constantly coming up with issues to discuss, wanting to learn and grow into a better cricketer.
"Me and Virat, right from the start he was someone who wanted to contribute. He was someone who was never happy with 40 or 60. He wanted to score a hundred and remain not out in the end. That hunger was there right from the start. He quickly improved his batting, and that will to perform and the score was what kept him going. He raised his fitness levels. He has always been like that," Dhoni added.
"He would come and talk to me, asking questions like, 'What could I have done differently here?' He would tell me he got out at a particular moment in a chase. We had a lot of conversations. That really opened us up.
"I gave him honest opinions. That's how the relationship grew. It was more of a captain and a newcomer at that point in time. But once you keep interacting, you become friends," he asserted.
Concluding the topic, Dhoni said that he and Virat get more time to chat with each other now as they no longer are captains.
"I still feel that there is a line in the middle - of a senior and a junior. But we are still friends. So, we have an amazing companionship. Both of us are not captains now, which gives us more time together before the toss," he added.
