CSK batter Robin Uthappa says ‘relationship with MS Dhoni goes beyond cricket’

Former India batter Robin Uthappa has always acknowledged his friendship with Chennai Super Kings skipper and former India captain MS Dhoni. Uthappa has found a new lease of life in the Indian Premier League since he joined the CSK a couple of years back, wining the IPL 2021 with the team under Dhoni.

Uthappa discussed his relationship with Dhoni during a ShareChat Audio Chatroom session 'CricChat' and mentioned, “My relationship with Mahi (MS Dhoni) goes beyond cricket,” Uthappa said.

The Karnataka batter had elaborated on his relationship with Dhoni during a chat with Team India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin some time back. “Today, for me, it's very hard to call him Mahi bhai. Because when I got to know him he was Mahi, MS,” Uthappa said on Ashwin’s YouTube show.

“I played with him after 12 years. After 2008, when I got dropped from the team, I am playing with him in the same team after like 12-13 years. I said ‘What should I call you, dude? I don't know. Should I call you Mahi bhai because everyone around me is calling you Mahi bhai?’

Uthappa had said he found MS Dhoni special and unique from the time when he was not even India captain. “I first met MS Dhoni during my debut in Challenger Series in 2004. I was very close to Sridharan Sriram. I am genuinely very fond of him as a person. Sree Bhai was also there in the Challenger Trophy, he was also close to MS and that's when I met MS through Sree Bhai but that meeting was very brief.

“MS is an extremely witty guy. extremely funny fellow, and off the cuff. If he likes you, he will keep teasing you. And if you take offence to that, he will stop. Like he doesn’t like offending anyone. But that’s how he shows affection. We connected on bikes. I was learning about bikes at that time. Those were common interests. Food was a common interest, and so were cars,” Uthappa had said.

Lucky fans clicked picture with MS Dhoni in UK. pic.twitter.com/h6a4cLM6Xw — Cricket Updates (@TheCricPerson) July 26, 2022

Meanwhile, on the ShareChat Audio Chatroom session, Uthappa stated that ODIs are on the decline. “While T-20 and Test cricket may continue, ODI may not.”

In an ODI format, Uthappa remarked how the game may get rather predictable and monotonous at times. He did, however, discuss the importance of the opening and closing parts of one-day matches. When discussing the recent India-West Indies match, he lauded Sanju Samson for his wicket-keeping abilities, which helped India win.

Commenting on the recent controversies related to whether Virat Kohli needs a break or not, Uthappa said that we have neither the authority nor any ground to question his position or his capacity to win games. “He’s a match winner and a proven one of the best in the world,” he added.