Book Review: MSD- The Man, The Leader

Book: MSD: The Man, The Leader

Author: Biswadeep Ghosh

Publisher: Rupa Publications

Pages: 243

Price: Rs195

When Dhoni used to relax at home with his fellow flatmates in Kharagpur, he couldn't resist being attracted to a particular sight. 'He was very fond of watching fighter jets that took off from the Kalaikunda air base near Kharagpur. The jets flew very low and fast. Each time one of them flew over our place, he ran out to admire the aircraft. The speed and sound held him spellbound,' says his former South Eastern Railway (SER) colleague Satyaprakash Krishna, reminiscing about the past.

Watching cricket matches on the television was a must for Dhoni. However, there was one big problem that Krishna, being the eldest one, had to frequently deal with. There being just one television at home and too many channels to choose from, his younger flatmates had arguments regarding which channel to watch.

One day, Deepak, who shared the flat with him, was enjoying the Amitabh Bachchan starrer Muqaddar Ka Sikandar late at night. Another channel was showing a recorded match between India and Australia at Sharjah at the same time. Deepak wanted to see the film. Dhoni was desperate to watch the match. Both had an intense argument which led to a fight, resulting in a slight damage to the television. Krishna, who had been a spectator all along, had to intervene. He decided in favour of Dhoni and all of them watched the match.

Apart from the occasional difference of opinion, all the flatmates bonded brilliantly because of their common passion— cricket. Among them, Robin, who hailed from Chhattisgarh, captained the SER team. Like Dhoni, he too worked as a TTE (Train Ticket Examiner) which meant that each of them spent long hours away from the flat. Robin, who cannot hide his astonishment at the size of cricketers' kits these days, remembers, 'In Kharagpur, Dhoni moved around with only one bag. He never wanted more than what was required in terms of clothes or other accessories.'
A teetotaller, Dhoni would nevertheless sit with his friends when they found time to enjoy an evening together with a few drinks. On one such occasion, one of his friends started teasing him about his dislike for alcohol. Being the sort of stubborn chap that he was, he took it up as a challenge and decided to finish a bottle of beer at one go. The moment he picked up the bottle, his friends were convinced that he would be able to polish off the content. Instead, he had two gulps after which he ran out of the room and threw up.

During that era, Dhoni could barely afford a modest lifestyle. He didn't own a bike, although Robin, whom Dhoni addressed as Kallu, did. However, because of his passion for bikes, he ended up riding while his friend rode the pillion when they went to play 'khep' (tennis ball cricket) matches. Robin remembers, 'On holidays and weekends, we would ride down to small villages to play matches. 'Khep' cricket was very exciting since the match moved at a very fast pace. Also, one could travel light and no extra cricketing kit needed to be carried. Just a bat would suffice for the tournament.'

Dhoni played most of his 'khep' cricket matches for Durga Sporting, but he never charged any money on the condition that his landlord Tunu Singh who owned the club would give him and his friends one-room accommodation in Golkhuli without charging any rent. The room that was given to him did not have any attached toilet. Hence, Dhoni had to use a common one. He bathed in the open by standing next to a well. But having a free room seemed good enough.

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