Ranchi, Oct. 27: So what if he is currently the undisputed czar of first-class cricket and busy as a beaver, Diwali, after all, is a time for reunion with family and friends.
Almost five months after leading Team India into a magnificent World Cup win in Mumbai’s Wankhede greens, Jharkhand’s laadla Mahendra Singh Dhoni found ample time to rewind with his near and dear ones at his Harmu home in the state capital.
And of course a visit to his favourite Deori temple.
Superman (not to miss the logo on his T-shirt) MSD and wife Sakshi touched down at Birsa Munda Airport around 4.15pm on Wednesday. Resolved to relish the sparkling Diwali moments without publicity blitz, Captain Cool — cooler after his recent whitewash victory over England at Eden Gardens, Calcutta — just waved to a bunch of eager fans and mediapersons at the airport before being whisked away to Harmu.
In no mood to broadcast his arrival, he avoided interaction with friends in politics (read deputy chief minister Sudesh Mahto who is in Silli for Diwali) or high-flying socialites during his brief stay.
But dodging fans is perhaps harder than hitting rippers.
By 5pm, like a ritual, eager cricket buffs — both young and old — poured to Harmu to catch a glimpse of their idol. The wait was perhaps longer than they had imagined. But their patience was aptly rewarded.
Dhoni made a guest appearance on his terrace with Sakshi, his niece and a few others around 8.30pm. In an environment-friendly gesture, the brand ambassador for the state forest department refrained from using high-decibel firecrackers and lit anars and phuljaris, and triggered rockets for two hours. A close friend revealed that the skipper even hopped pandals till 1am.
Thursday afternoon saw a more devout Dhoni — though still sporty in a red tee, military cap, olive jacket and blue jeans — visit Deori temple. He had the company of brother-in-law Gautam Gupta and a couple of friends during the 10-minute puja.
“Mahi is leaving for Calcutta with his wife around 7.15pm,” one of his friends said, as the Team India captain waved and smiled from a distance. “He was at leisure after a long time. We all enjoyed his company,” the friend added.
If sources are to be believed, Dhoni is scheduled for an ad shoot in Mumbai before he returns to Calcutta for a T20 match with England on October 29. However, it isn’t clear whether he will attend team member Gautam Gambhir’s wedding in Gurgaon on Friday.
