After India defeated South Africa in the third and final match of the Test series on Tuesday in Ranchi, local boy Mahendra Singh Dhoni was spotted in the Indian dressing room at the Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA) Stadium.
Taking to its official Twitter account, BCCI posted a picture yesterday where Dhoni was seen talking to debutant Shahbaz Nadeem, who also happens to be from Jharkhand and has featured in many domestic games alongside the former Indian captain.
Look who’s here 😍 pic.twitter.com/whS24IK4Ir
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 22, 2019
The picture went viral on social media within minutes triggering the speculations among fans about what Dhoni might have said to Nadeem. The 30-year-old left-arm spinner, meanwhile, revealed that the veteran cricketer was impressed with his performance and praised his maturity.
According to a report on the TimesofIndia.com, Dhoni asked Shahbaz to not “experiment too much” and play the way he has been playing. Reportedly, the 38-year-old lauded his domestic experience before the two chatted about their journey to international cricket.
Drafted into the squad for the third Test in the dying minutes, Nadeem made his Test debut in one of the most haphazard manners. He travelled from Kolkata to Ranchi a day before the game and in the very next morning found his dream coming true when Virat Kohli informed him about his place in the playing eleven.
With four wickets in the match, Nadeem had a commendable Test debut and was the most successful spinner ahead of Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin. The fact that he was able to make an impact in the bowling attack which was dominated by the brilliance of the pacers speaks volume about his calibre.
Meanwhile, the Indian team won the third Test by an innings and 202 runs to complete their first-ever series whitewash against the Proteas. The victory also resulted in India’s 11th straight series win at home.