'He made us all believe': How Dhoni is quietly shaping Jharkhand's next generation

KOLKATA: Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s influence on Jharkhand cricket has never needed an official designation. Even after stepping away from the domestic cricket long ago, the former India captain continues to leave his imprint quietly, helping shape a young generation that is now beginning to make its presence felt at the highest domestic level across formats.

East Zone’s Duleep Trophy triumph on Thursday, their first since 2012, offered perhaps the clearest indication yet of the strength of Jharkhand’s emerging batting core. Captain Ishan Kishan led from the front, aggregating 350 runs in the final, while Shikhar Mohan, Kumar Kushagra, Md Kounain Quraishi and Anukul Roy were among the Jharkhand players who made significant contributions during the campaign.

The title, naturally, was a collective East Zone achievement. Bengal supplied considerable experience through Mohammed Shami, Mukesh Kumar, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Sudip Gharami and Shahbaz Ahmed, while Bihar’s teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi also made his mark in the semifinal with the fastest half-century in the history of the tournament. But the performance of Jharkhand’s young middle-order batters provided one of the strongest threads running through East Zone’s campaign.

And behind that progression, there is a familiar figure who continues to offer guidance without occupying any formal role.

“Whenever he is free and in Ranchi, he visits the (JSCA) stadium. From juniors to seniors, when camps are going on, he comes himself, talks to people and gets involved. When we won Mushtaq Ali last year, the first congratulatory message I received was by Mahi bhai,” JSCA secretary and former India and Jharkhand batter Saurabh Tiwary said of Dhoni.

“He keeps telling us which players are good and should be watched. He also speaks to players whenever they get an opportunity to meet him and tells them how to perform. The most important thing he discusses with them is how to read the game. That is a huge mental factor when you are playing at the top level,” Tiwary told TOI on Thursday.

Once a regular in the Indian Premier League, Tiwary said Dhoni’s involvement has grown significantly and that his interest in the state setup remains remarkably close. Dhoni can, according to Tiwary, “name Jharkhand’s playing XI any day and keeps a close watch on emerging players”.

That influence is not necessarily about technical instruction. It is about understanding what it takes to survive and succeed at the top level — something Dhoni knows better than most.

Former Jharkhand player Ishank Jaggi and now their U-23 coach, who has also worked closely with several of the state’s younger cricketers, believes the current crop has developed a greater understanding of their game.

“MSD was the first guy playing for the country from Jharkhand. He made us all believe that players from Jharkhand can also be at the top level,” Jaggi said.

According to Jaggi, the Player of the Match in the 2012 Duleep Trophy final – the last time East Zone was triumphant – Dhoni remains closely connected with the state’s cricket ecosystem despite his busy schedule.

“Whenever he is in Ranchi and free, he makes sure he is at the (JSCA) stadium. Coaches and players ask him about different situations and he shares his experiences. Whether it’s the men’s team or the women’s team, everybody benefits from his inputs.”

Jaggi also believes the likes of Kushagra and Mohan are capable of pushing for India selection. Shikhar, in particular, has emerged as one of Jharkhand’s most promising all-round young cricketers, with his batting, bowling and fielding across formats drawing praise from Tiwary.

“I think in the coming three years you will see even more good players coming through,” Tiwary said. “The future looks very good for Jharkhand.”

That optimism is rooted in more than one successful Duleep Trophy campaign and their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy triumph last year under Kishan and with same set-up. Tiwary pointed to a growing system in which former players are now involved in coaching, selection and administration, bringing with them a close understanding of the players and the pathway they have travelled.

For a generation that grew up idolising Dhoni, he remains the most influential link between Jharkhand’s cricketing past and its future and East Zone’s Duleep Trophy triumph offered a glimpse of what may lie ahead. The likes of Kishan, Kushagra, Shikhar, Roy and Quraishi are already making their mark beyond state cricket as Jharkhand’s former players continue to mentor the next batch, backed by Dhoni’s quiet but enduring guidance.