Star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja recently recalled his first encounter with MS Dhoni in 2005. Having made his debut under Dhoni in 2009, Jadeja flourished as a true all-rounder across all three formats, becoming the legendary captain of India's "trump card" by frequently giving him game-winning knocks down the order and making crucial breakthroughs.

Jadeja Reveals First Meeting With Dhoni

Jadeja recently recalled his first encounter with Dhoni in 2005 during the Challengers Trophy in Chennai, and he even admitted that he is still reluctant to approach him when he is not feeling his best.

"I first met MS Dhoni during the Challengers Trophy 2005 in Chennai. I was coming from Mumbai and I guess he was also coming from there in the same flight. I was sitting in the economy class and he was sitting in the business class. Everybody was saying Dhoni is sitting in front there but I was hesitant to meet him. Even now, I still get hesitant to meet him when he is not in the mood. He doesn't say anything but it's clearly visible on his face that he is not in the mood," Jadeja said in the latest episode of Kutti Stories with Ash on R Ashwin's YouTube channel.

Jadeja also revealed how he was supposed to accompany Dhoni to the team hotel, but he was able to leave covertly by himself after the latter dropped his phone.

"At that time, I was a kid, so it was like he was MS Dhoni and when I saw him on the flight, he had long hair. Our manager said that we have to go with Dhoni from the airport to the team hotel. I was hesitant and thought, how can I go with him? Luckily, his phone got dropped on the floor and he had to wait. I thought this was the chance to get out of there, at that time I used to think about what I would talk to him, he is MS Dhoni," he concluded.

While playing for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) under Dhoni's captaincy, Jadeja was instrumental in their three victories in 2018, 2021, and 2023. In the 2023 final, he scored ten runs off the final two balls against Mohit Sharma, which helped his team win their fifth IPL title. However, Jadeja's season in 2025 was unmemorable as he scored 301 runs and took just 10 wickets in 18 games.

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