‘He always preferred to sit with footballers,’ Chennaiyin FC’s Anirudh Thapa talks about his favourite cricketer

Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s manic following simply retains on rising with India and Chennaiyin FC midfielder Anirudh Thapa being the most recent to hitch the bandwagon of his awestruck followers.Dhoni is without doubt one of the co-owners of Chennaiyin FC, the twice winners of Indian Super League in 2015 and 2017-18 season.The 22-year-old Thapa treasures his interactions with Dhoni throughout occasions when former India cricket captain would drop in to satisfy the Chennaiyin footballers.

“He (Dhoni) used to come whenever we had a team lunch. He would stay back to talk to the boys and shared his experiences. He’s a very down to earth guy. Obviously Thala is my favourite cricketer,” Thapa stated.

“There were others who also asked him to come and sit with them, but instead he always preferred to sit with the footballers. He would say ‘Let me sit with the boys and let me share some experiences’.”Thapa, who has performed 24 matches for India since 2017, stated Dhoni would additionally share his on and off-field experiences with the footballers.”He informed us so much concerning the struggles he has needed to face in his personal life and about his journey in cricket,” Thapa stated in a chat session on the official Instagram deal with of the Indian soccer group.

“He also talked about the feeling and the moment when India won the World Cup. And that is something I will always remember because he is such a nice guy. What he has done and how successful he is can be seen by all. Hats off to you, Thala.”Dhoni grew to become solely the second Indian captain to win the ICC World Cup, when he lifted the coveted trophy on the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai in 2011.

Thapa additionally shared his expertise after being appointed Indian U-22 captain for the primary time.”Honestly, at the moment, I didn’t assume that I deserved to be the captain. I spoke to my mother and father earlier than the match however by no means informed them that I used to be going to captain (the aspect).”It was solely then they watched it on TV that they realised it. It was extra particular as a result of I had an help in a objective and we gained the match. I used to be joyful that I might make my mother and father joyful.”