Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni in Jamshedpur on Tuesday to meet Ranji probables. Picture by Bhola Prasad

Jamshedpur, Aug. 25: A Naxalite bandh is probably not the best time to make a road trip across the state, but if there are promises to keep, Mahi will find a way.

Team India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni zoomed out of his hometown to keep his date with the state’s Ranji probables.

Accompanied by brother-in-law Gautam Gupta and some friends, the Ranchi Rambo left the city at about 10.30am, but not before stopping for prayers at Deori Temple in Tamar, a Naxalite-dominated zone along National Highway 33.

“We were asked to escort him this morning. He spent some time at the temple before heading to Jamshedpur. It was a non-stop journey from there,” said one of the police jawans, who escorted him.

The police jawan or the car driver, however, did not answer whether Dhoni was aware about the situation in the state and the impact of the Naxalite bandh.

Sources close to the Team India skipper said he was in an apparent hurry to fulfil his promise of meeting the Ranji probables, who are in Jamshedpur to attend the first phase of the coaching-cum-conditioning camp. “Mahi did not want to lose out on the opportunity, as he is scheduled to leave for Mumbai tomorrow. Some of his friends are also among the probables,” a close acquaintance of Dhoni said.

And for a change, the car and bike lover preferred a simple white Ambassador to his trademark Hummer or Pajero. But he couldn’t travel without one of the fancy four-wheelers.

As he made his way to a hotel in Bistupur, where he was to meet with the Ranji probables, police officers and some of his friends from Ranchi followed close behind in the cricketer’s Pajero.

“Mahi had promised the Jharkhand Ranji cricketers that he would drop in to meet them. And he kept his word by spending close to three hours with them,” one of his close friends said.

The friend added that Dhoni also gave them tips and asked them to stick to a schedule. He also enjoyed lunch with them, who were very happy to spend time with the ace cricketer.

The Ranji aspirants also requested Dhoni to play for the state in the T20 inter-zonal league, which kicks-off on October 20. But Dhoni did not make another promise, as he had to look into his national commitments first.

And even if he did say yes, going by Dhoni’s track record, he would have surely made it.