"Coming from the state of Ranchi which hardly produced any players" - Sourav Ganguly lauds World Cup-winning skipper MS Dhoni

Former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly recently showered praise on MS Dhoni, whose contribution to Indian cricket is second to none. The keeper-batter guided Team India to three ICC events - the 2007 World T20 (now renamed as T20 World Cup), the 2011 ODI World Cup, and the 2013 Champions Trophy.

Incidentally, Dhoni made his international debut in 2004 when Ganguly was the captain of the Indian team and never looked back. He is considered one of the best players to represent the Men in Blue.

The duo recently met on the sidelines of a commercial shoot in Mumbai. Pictures emerged on social media with both former skippers seen having a discussion. Ganguly weighed in on his meeting with Dhoni and highlighted the latter's contribution to Indian cricket.

"When you speak about MS Dhoni, it's not just about the matches he has played," the former BCCI president said during the Sportstar East Sports Conclave. "It's the impact that he has had on Indian cricket. I met him a couple of days ago in Mumbai; we both were shooting.

'He's an absolute champion. One of the all-time greats of Indian cricket, winning World Cups, coming from the state of Ranchi which hardly produced any players."

Dhoni announced his international retirement in 2020 after representing India in 90 Tests, 350 ODIs, and 98 T20Is. However, he still plays in the Indian Premier League (IPL) where he leads the Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

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"He's actually changed a generation of players around him" - Sourav Ganguly on MS Dhoni

Ganguly further stated that the Ranchi-born Dhoni instilled a sense of confidence among young cricketers to take up cricket as a profession.

The former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president also cited the example of Ishan Kishan, who also hails from Jharkhand and has done exceptionally well in international cricket.

"I feel proud - I can't keep saying it - that two of India's pretty successful captains came from a part of the country where people thought cricket wasn't at its best," Ganguly continued. "That's where MS Dhoni comes in; he's actually changed a generation of players around him to believe that 'I can be successful' from here. Look at Ishan Kishan, look at the way he plays international cricket."

Ishan, who recently scored an ODI double hundred against Bangladesh, will be seen in action in the four-match home Test series against Australia. The Border-Gavaskar Trophy will get underway in Nagpur on Thursday, February 9.

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