“His Phone Got Under the Seat”: Ravindra Jadeja Recalls Dodging First Meeting With MS Dhoni

India’s star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja revealed an amusing anecdote from the early days of his career involving former India captain MS Dhoni. In a candid conversation with Ravichandran Ashwin on his YouTube channel, Jadeja recounted how he once escaped his first official interaction with Dhoni during a domestic tournament flight in 2005.

Shy Beginnings: Jadeja’s First Glimpse of the Captain Cool

Jadeja, then a teenager, was still finding his feet in professional cricket. During a Challenger Trophy tournament in Chennai, he spotted Dhoni for the first time on a flight from Mumbai. Dhoni was seated in Business Class, while Jadeja was in Economy.

“People were whispering that Dhoni was sitting in the front. I was too nervous to talk to him,” Jadeja admitted.
“Even now, when he’s not in the best of moods, I hesitate. He may not say anything, but his face tells you he’s not in the mood for conversation.”

The nerves were understandable. Dhoni was already a rising star at the time, and Jadeja feared making a clumsy first impression.

The Perfect Escape: A Dropped Phone and a Quick Exit

Jadeja shared that his manager had told him to share a cab with Dhoni from the airport to the hotel. But overwhelmed by anxiety, he looked for a way out. That’s when fate intervened.

“His phone fell under the seat, and he took a few seconds to retrieve it,” Jadeja recalled with a chuckle.
“I took that as my chance and exited the flight quickly, avoiding the conversation altogether.”

While it may sound like a scene from a comedy, it underlined the awe Jadeja felt towards Dhoni in his early years.

From Hesitation to Harmony: The Journey Under Dhoni’s Leadership

Despite the initial awkwardness, Jadeja would go on to forge a successful partnership with Dhoni—both in Team India and the Chennai Super Kings franchise. Dhoni’s support and leadership played a significant role in shaping Jadeja’s career.

From a nervous youngster to one of India’s most dependable all-rounders, Jadeja’s journey has come full circle. Today, he is not only a senior player in the Indian setup but also shares a warm rapport with Dhoni—someone he once feared to even greet.

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