MS Dhoni is famously known as ‘Captain Cool’ due to his ability to remain calm and composed on the field, no matter the situation.
However, as former Chennai Super Kings teammate Subramaniam Badrinath revealed, this cool demeanor doesn’t always extend off the field. In an interview, Badrinath shared a story about Dhoni losing his temper in the CSK dressing room during the inaugural IPL season.
Badrinath recalled a match where CSK lost to Royal Challengers Bangalore in a low-scoring game at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. After RCB set a modest target of 126, CSK struggled, losing wickets rapidly and ending up at 111 for eight.
“He is also human…he has lost his cool,” Badrinath said. “But that has never happened on the field. He would never let the opposition know that he has lost his cool.”
The incident occurred after Badrinath was dismissed for just 1 run by Anil Kumble. Dhoni, visibly frustrated, kicked a water bottle upon entering the dressing room. “I was like, ‘Shit, oh my god!’ Nobody wants to see that. We just couldn’t make eye contact with him. We were all trying to stay away from him,” Badrinath recalled.
Despite his anger, Dhoni didn’t say anything or hold a team meeting after the loss.
Looking ahead, Dhoni is expected to return for IPL 2025, with reports suggesting the BCCI might revert to auction rules classifying retired international players as uncapped.
This news excited fans and the CSK management, as Dhoni has hinted that his decision to return depends on these retention rules.