A new chapter is set to be written in one of the most famous rivalries in the sport when Chennai Super Kings take on Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at their home ground, MA Chidambaram Stadium, on Friday, March 28.
Over the past few years, whenever these two teams lock horns, two players take center stage — both iconic figures of their respective franchises — MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli.
Since Dhoni’s retirement from international cricket, the IPL remains the only stage where fans get to witness these two legends together. Having shared the field for India and faced off in the IPL, Dhoni and Kohli share a camaraderie like no other. Time and again, both players have spoken openly about their admiration for each other. Recently, Dhoni opened up on his bond with Kohli.
“Between me and Virat, right from the start, he was someone who wanted to contribute. He was never happy with a 40 or a 60; he wanted to score a 100 and be not out till the end. So, that hunger was there right from the start. The way he improved his batting and his will to perform are what kept him going. He raised his fitness levels and was always there on the field. So he was always like that. He would come and talk, ‘What I could have done now? I could have done this’. We had a lot of conversations and that really opened us up. It was more like a captain and a newcomer at that point of time. But I still feel you have a line in the middle between a senior and a junior, but we are still friends,” Dhoni said in his interview with JioHotstar.
Dhoni and Kohli will be looking to contribute to their team’s victory in what promises to be a mouth-watering clash at Chepauk.