MS Dhoni calls Sachin Tendulkar his ‘cricketing idol’, recalls the time he wanted to play like the master blaster

Former captain of the Indian Team, MS Dhoni, is one of the most inspirational figures both on and off the field. While he continues to serve as a role model to millions of people around the world, there is always curiosity around his source of inspiration and the ones who motivate him to move forward.

A recent interview of the 41-year-old iconic cricketer has caught the attention of netizens. The short clip shared by the official handle of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) has Dhoni talking about his idol.

The 35-second clip shows Dhoni admitting that during his formative years he idolised legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and wanted to play like the master blaster when he grew up. The CSK captain went on to say that he tried to play like Tendulkar, however, he later realised that his style was different and that he could not play like the legend.


"Growing up when I was your age, I used to watch him play and always thought I wanted to play like him but couldn't. Inside in my heart I always wanted to play like him, he was a cricketing idol growing up," Dhoni can be heard answering one of the questions.
MSD and Sachin share a warm and cordial relationship. The two cricketers who belong to different eras, have a pristine equation which is characterised by respect and mutual admiration. Dhoni has on numerous occasions hailed Tendulkar, while the latter has on occasions expressed his admiration for Dhoni.

Their friendship has also seen occasional differences, however, these disagreements were largely restricted to the professional realm. On several occasions, Dhoni has admitted how he had on-field discussion on team strategy and how he did not mind disagreeing with the senior cricketer.

In a 2013 interview, Dhoni had called Tendulkar his sporting hero because of his aura and how it was difficult for him to speak outside the cricket field. "Tendulkar is my sporting hero and because of the aura he carries, I still have difficulties speaking up to him outside a cricket field. But on field, I always give my honest inputs about team strategy," Dhoni was quote as saying by The Times of India.

A few days ago, Tendulkar and Dhoni, the biggest stars of Indian cricket, were seen together for a commercial shoot. The sighting of the two legends together had sent the internet into a tizzy.