Once a legend, always a legend: MS Dhoni gifts number 7 jersey to Nitish Rana, Kuldeep Yadav; clip goes viral

This year has been a tough one for Chennai Super Kings and Mahendra Singh Dhoni. The ageing team has failed to live up to the expectations this season and currently sits at the bottom of the points table, out of the play-offs contention. Even this hasn’t stopped Dhoni from setting an example for others and passing on gestures that are winning millions of hearts. 

Throughout this season, the former Indian captain has been gifting his iconic number 7 jersey to different players. Earlier, he had gifted it to Hardik Pandya and Jos Buttler. Now, after CSK’s win against Kolkata Knight Riders, Dhoni was seen doing a similar gesture to Nitish Rana and Kuldeep Yadav.  

Rana – who scored a blistering 87 off 61 balls – came up with an epic reaction on receiving the piece of token from the former India skipper. He accepted the jersey with folded hands in a very humble manner. Needless to say, the clip went viral!  

CSK won the match on the back of a superb cameo by Ravindra Jadeja. 

“I think it was one game in which the climax went in our favour. Lot of credit to the guys. This season he (Jadeja) has been fantastic. He has been the only one in our team who has scored in the death overs. He needed somebody else and that would have been good for us. We want to give games to people who haven’t played. Ruturaj has shown the talent that he is. He came in and tested Covid positive. We didn’t have much time to have a look at him. He is one of the talented youngsters going around,” Dhoni said at the presentation. 

CSK – who still have a match to go – have had a forgettable season by becoming the first team to get out of the playoffs race and this is also the first time CSK has not finished in the top four.