Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni, two of the best middle-order hitters India has ever seen, have performed incredibly well for the national team throughout the years, winning some of the biggest trophies. Now that they are retired, both cricket players are content with their personal lives away from the pitch. However, several misconceptions about their interpersonal dynamics and relationship continue. With regard to his relationship with MS Dhoni off the field, Yuvraj had the chance to be “politically correct,” and he didn’t think twice about implying that the two aren’t close friends.
Yuvraj acknowledged that he and Dhoni were buddies because they both played cricket for India in a conversation on TRS Clips. Apart from that, they didn’t really click because of how different their personal lives were.
Yuvraj Singh on his friendship with dhoni 😯 pic.twitter.com/O0Indl23oY
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“Me and Mahi are not close friends. We were friends because of cricket, we played together. Mahi’s lifestyle was very different from me, so we were never close friends, we were only friends because of cricket. When me and Mahi went on the ground, we gave more than 100% to our country. In that, he was captain, I was vice-captain. When I came into the team, I was 4 years junior. When you are captain and vice-captain, there will be decision differences.
“Sometimes he made decisions I didn’t like, sometimes I made decisions he didn’t like. That happens in every team. When I was at the end of my career, when I wasn’t getting the right picture about my career, I asked him for advice. He was the guy who told me that the selection committee is not looking you right now. I was like, at least I got to know the real picture. This is just before 2019 World Cup. That is the reality,” he said.
Yuvraj Singh was brutally honest on the podcast about MS Dhoni
Yuvraj went on to emphasize that teammates in a sports team don’t need to be best friends; they simply need to give it their all on the field.
“Your teammates don’t have to be your best friends outside the field. Everybody has a different lifestyle, skill set. Certain people hang out with certain people, you don’t have to be best friends with everyone to go on the field. If you take any team, all eleven don’t get along. Some do, some don’t. When you are in the park, put your ego behind you and contribute on the field.
“There were times when MS was injured, I was a runner for him. I remember there was one moment when he was in 90s, I wanted to give him the strike to help him reach his 100. I remember diving for him, for his second run, as he was in 90s.
“When I was batting in a World Cup match, I was 48 against the Netherlands. There were 2 runs to get and Mahi blocked both the balls so that I get 50,” he explained.