“I could go tell him my deepest secrets” - Unmukt Chand’s huge remark on first meeting with legendary Indian captain

Former Men In Blue cricketer Unmukt Chand recalled his first meeting with legendary Indian captain MS Dhoni. He opened up on the experience and how Dhoni made it special for the youngster back then.

He revealed that while it was just a five-minute meeting, Dhoni made him so comfortable that he felt as though as could share even his deepest secrets with the former Indian captain.

"It was very interesting because I admired him like anything. The best thing about him is, I was meeting him for the first time as a youngster, I sat five minutes with him and he made me open up so much that I felt like I could go tell him my deepest secrets. This is the level of security that he gives to people. Usually, players like that keep their distance," he said on The Raunac Podcast. (56:23)

Unmukt Chand added that Dhoni created such an environment that made things easy for the youngster. He hailed the legendary captain for his ability to get the best out of people and for giving them the space to be free with him.

"But in those five minutes, the environment that he created, he made me very easy with him. Then I could relate as to why people who played with him played for India as well and performed well. He gives that space to people and knows how to take the best out of them. In those five minutes I felt as if I knew that person for a long time. A lot of people don't have such talent and that was very special."

Unmukt rose to fame after having led India to victory at the 2012 U-19 World Cup. In the final against Australia, he had slammed an unbeaten hundred, making 111* off 130 balls. His sensational knock helped them chase down 226 runs with six wickets to spare.

---

"He is very free and open" - Unmukt Chand on MS Dhoni

Talking further about MS Dhoni, Unmukt Chand mentioned that he met the former captain a few times even after the first meeting. He added how Dhoni was always very warm and welcoming.

"I met him quite a few times after that as well. When he was playing for Jharkhand at times we had games with them for Delhi. On and off, I met him many times as well. He is always very warm and welcoming. You are not skeptical of going to him. He is very free and open that way," he said. (via the aforementioned source)

Despite having led India to glory at the U-19 World Cup, Unmukt Chand was unfortunate and never made it to the senior national team. He last played domestic cricket in India in 2020 before moving to the United States.

Having retired from Indian cricket in 2021, he is pursuing his career in the USA. He began his journey with the Minor League Cricket season in 2021. Unmukt now plays for the Los Angeles Knight Riders (LAKR) in the Major League Cricket (MLC). However, he is yet to make his international debut for the USA.