There’s no doubt that MS Dhoni is one of the greatest captains in the history of the game. His five titles in the IPL have played a significant role in building his stature, especially because he has achieved
this with a variety of team combinations, across different eras and against diverse opponents and strategies.
However, his impact goes beyond the records. Several players who plied trade under his leadership speak of him like a genius, a man ahead of his time, who could see things that others didn’t even think about.
On Sunday, former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) all-rounder DJ Bravo joined that list. Bravo, who calls Dhoni brother, revealed a fascinating example of the Indian’s attention to detail.
“When we came back into the IPL in 2018, I was 34,” Bravo narrated on the Beard Before Wicket podcast with English cricketers Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid. “I dived for a ball at long-on. MS called me in, and after the over, he walked past me and said, ‘Don’t ever dive on my cricket field again.’ He was like, ‘Your four overs are more important than saving four runs.’ When he told me that, I was like, ‘Wow.'”
Bravo played 10 out of his 14 IPL seasons at MI, with the other four at Mumbai Indians (three) and Gujarat Lions (one), respectively. The all-rounder took 140 wickets in 116 matches at an average of 22.48, while also contributing over a thousand runs at a strike-rate of 137.16.
He won three titles with CSK, playing particularly crucial roles in 2018 and 2021.
After ending his CSK playing career in 2022, Bravo briefly worked as a coach at the franchise. Last year, he transitioned to the Kolkata Knight Riders as their mentor, replacing Gautam Gambhir.
Dhoni, meanwhile, is expected to appear for CSK one final time in IPL 2026. The franchise will be led by Ruturaj Gaikwad, and they have signed Sanju Samson as a seemingly long-term wicketkeeping successor.
