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Former Indian captain MS Dhoni turned 39 years old yesterday and in a 16-year international career, we have seen him constantly sprout witticisms. Various reporters have been on the receiving end of MS Dhoni's tongue-in-cheek replies over the years, providing some much-needed entertainment during the dull press conferences.
From asking a reporter to come sit next to him to churning out philosophical lines at will, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper has given media outlets countless headlines. In this article, we take a look at MS Dhoni's 10 greatest quotes.
#10 'You die, you die. You don't see which is the better way to die' - MS Dhoni, 2012
In the period of a year in the 2011/12 season, India experienced their worst Test run under MS Dhoni. After suffering an embarrassing 4-0 whitewash at the hands of hosts England, the same fate befell them Down Under during the Australian summer. After the two humiliating series losses, MS Dhoni was asked to compare them, and he came up with this gem.
#9 'From Kishore Kumar, we have gone to Sean Paul' - MS Dhoni, 2012
Immediately after the 2011/12 Australia debacle, India were set to field a far younger side in the ODI series that followed. When asked about this transition, MS Dhoni quipped that the Indian team had gone from the famous Bollywood singer to the Jamaican hip-hop star.
#8 'Another 20 days and you can apply for citizenship' - MS Dhoni, 2015
During the 2014-15 Aussie summer, India toured the country to play 4 Tests, a series which is remembered for MS Dhoni's shock retirement from the format. Soon after the Tests got over, though, India were slated to play England and the hosts in the Carlton Mid Tri-series. Their stay at Australia was thus extended to 4 months, resulting in the keeper's hilarious comment.
#7 'Whenever we have played with four fast bowlers, two things happen. One the captain gets banned, two we lose' - MS Dhoni, 2014
In January 2014, India toured New Zealand for 5 ODIs and 2 Tests. Ahead of the 2nd ODI, MS Dhoni was asked if he was considering playing four quicks in the pacer-friendly conditions. He refused to in the above way, but the Men In Blue fell to a 4-0 loss in the ODIs.
#6 'It’s like having 100kg put over you. After that even if you put a mountain, it will not make a difference' - MS Dhoni, 2014
In April 2014, MS Dhoni was asked about the pressure he feels on the field, knowing that the expectations of over a billion people rest on his shoulders, leading to the then-32-year-old's quip.
#5 'Kya kare yaar, paise khatam ho gaye (What to do, we are all out of money)' - MS Dhoni, 2014
Ahead of the 2014 T20 World Cup semi-final against South Africa, MS Dhoni and team were seen playing their usual game of football in the warm-ups. When he was asked why they were playing barefoot, the 2007 T20 WC-winning captain joked that they had run out of money. Unfortunately for India, they went on to lose the final of the tournament to Sri Lanka.
#4 'If you are not 100 per cent fit and not at your best (and still play), it’s cheating' - MS Dhoni, 2008
MS Dhoni opted to sit out of a 3-Test series in 2008 against Sri Lanka, and stated that his reason or doing so was not being 100% fit. The 39-year-old has certainly lived up to these words over the years, with his incredible fitness levels putting even youngsters to shame.
#3 'We will try the laundry, that's good, will keep us clean' - MS Dhoni, 2013
After a spot-fixing scandal ravaged the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2013, MS Dhoni was asked about the steps that must be taken to keep Indian cricket 'clean'. The CSK captain was in no mood to be dragged into controversy and glibly stated the above one-liner.
#2 'Before I start I should say I read an article by you in Cricinfo. You said Australia were the favourites. Today I think me and the boys, we proved you wrong' - MS Dhoni, 2007
India faced Australia in the semi-final of the 2007 World Cup, newly-appointed captain MS Dhoni's first assignment at the helm of the national team. The long-haired youngster is now known for not paying much attention to the media, but after the 15-run win courtesy of Yuvraj Singh's scintillating 30-ball 70, MS Dhoni told current Indian coach Ravi Shastri that he had read an article of the latter on Cricinfo.
Needless to say, the Indian team went on to win the tournament, beating arch-rivals Pakistan in the final thanks to the skipper's bold captaincy.
#1 'As of now, I am on national duty so I think everything else can wait. The World Cup is a very important campaign' - MS Dhoni, 2015
MS Dhoni's daughter Ziva was born in February 2015, around the same time as the start of the 2015 World Cup. When asked about whether he would head back home to attend her birth, he claimed that the country is paramount. MS Dhoni is an honorary Lieutenant Colonel in the Indian Territorial Army, but these words still came as a surprise.
Also Read: 4 aspects of MS Dhoni's genius that are often overlooked
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