Dhoni rains sixes in gutkha market too

RANCHI: Mahendra Singh Dhoni might have slipped in the ICC ranking, but brand Dhoni is still shining bright. A gutkha brand launched in his name has become an instant hit in his hometown.

Dhoni Gutkha, priced at Re 1, was launched a fortnight ago in Jharkhand — the cricketer’s home state. It has already become popular among young tobacco chewers.

Shopkeepers are a happy lot as demand for the product is soaring. “Dhoni gutkha is no way different from other gutkhas. It contains similar ingredients. But the name Dhoni is doing the magic,” said Naresh Chaurasia, a betel leaf merchant who also sells gutkha.

Ratnesh Singh, another paanwalla, said: “I bought five cartons of Dhoni guthka and I sold all of them in just two days. Normally I sell two cartons in a week.

“Dhoni guthka is giving tough competition to brands like Tiranga, Goa, Sir and others. The combined sale of all the other brands is unable to compete with it,” he added.

Manish, a student of Ranchi University, said: “I switched over to Dhoni gutkha when it was launched. Dhoni has made the state proud and it is our duty to make his products successful.”

Loyal fans even forgive their hero for the dip in world ranking. “In cricket, no one can perform equally well in all matches. When Sachin Tendulkar can go out of form, so can Dhoni,” said Manish.