Friendship Day Special: When MS Dhoni Fought With Selectors For His Friend's Inclusion In The Team

The whole world is celebrating Friendship Day today. So there cannot be a better moment to reveal an anecdote where MS Dhoni showed just like a good cricketer, he is also good friend.

That Dhoni and former India bowler RP Singh are good friends is well known in the cricketing circles. Both the players started their India career at almost the same time. While Dhoni made his India debut in December 2004, RP played his first international game 9 months later. RP was Dhoni’s go-to-bowler when the latter led the country to the historic World T20 title in 2007.

During the course of their journey in international cricket, the two developed very strong friendship. In fact, Dhoni also admitted that RP is one of his best friends.  Be it celebrating the purchase of Dhoni’s Hummer or monitoring the building of his dream home in Ranchi, both men have been seen together on many instances.

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Who can forget RP’s shock inclusion in the Test side during the England series in 2011. When Praveen Kumar got injured during India’s disastrous England tour in 2011, RP, who was holidaying in the United States, was flown in for the Oval Test. Dhoni then shockingly picked him in the team ahead of Munaf Patel. It was RP’s first appearance at this level in three years.

Not surprisingly, he struggled and bowled poorly. In fact, an angry Ian Botham had had called RP’s first over ‘the worst first over he had ever seen in a Test match.’

But that was not the only instance where Dhoni’s strong friendship with RP was seen by the world.

It’s believed that Dhoni once had a tiff with the national selectors, when they didn’t pick RP for a series in 2008.

The left-arm pacer had lost his place in the side after some poor performances. However, Dhoni was not happy with the selectors’ decision and made his displeasure clear. But despite that, RP could not earn his place back in the team.

RP played 14 Tests, 58 ODIs and 10 T20Is for India, picking a total of 124 international wickets.