Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni share one of the strongest binds in the Indian dressing room and their relationship is way more than that of a junior-senior. We have seen the Indian skipper spending a gala time with MS Dhoni’s family, more than we have seen any other member of the dressing room, proving the kind of bond they share.
That said, both of them are star players for the squad and the two have batted together many times, while also taking team India to numerous victories. In an ode to MS Dhoni on his 300th ODI, an emotional Virat Kohli even said, “You will always be our captain,” highlighting the Mahi’s contribution in maturing the young squad and being the torchbearer for so long.
However, during the India vs New Zealand 2017, 1st ODI, we saw the two helping each other out to take their team towards a defendable total. While they failed to do so and New Zealand ended up taking a 1-0 lead with a six-wicket victory, there was a moment in the first innings that has been going viral as Virat Kohli And MS Dhoni’s Bromance.
The strong bond between Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni was seen during the break after the 30th over. It was a hot and humid afternoon at Wankhede and it wasn’t easy out there. MS Dhoni was seen plucking and rubbing his eyes when the India captain went to his predecessor to lend a helping hand to the 2011 World Cup winning skipper.
The Bromance 😍 #TeamIndia #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/HBhP0dhYPl
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 22, 2017
Earlier, both Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni received a warm welcome when they entered the stadium in the first innings and while the former skipper received a standing ovation for lifted the World at the same venue, Virat Kohli got the deserving applauds as well as chants for his record-breaking run as the captain.
A standing ovation for @msdhoni as he walks into bat at the Wankhede Stadium #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/HCrcYLoiz8
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 22, 2017
Wankhede welcomes the milestone man with the chants of Kohli Kohli #Virat200 pic.twitter.com/Gaxcrv0nza
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 22, 2017
However, while India vs New Zealand 2017, 1st ODI was expected to be a walk in the park for the hosts, Kane Williamson-led NZ ended up taking a 1-0 lead, thanks to the class-defining spells by Trent Boult (10-35-4) and Tim Southee (10-73-3) as well as a humiliating middle-order collapse of the Indian lineup.
What followed was a record-breaking 200-run partnership between Ross Taylor (95) and Tom Latham (103*) which was enough for the visitors to ace their biggest chase in India.
Everything said and done, while MS Dhoni had to do with just 25 runs off his bat, it was Virat Kohli who stole the show with his 125-ball 121 record-breaking century.
Virat Kohli made his 200th ODI a memorable occasion with his 31st ODI hundred a milestone that sailed him past Ricky Ponting’s tally of 30 ODI centuries and taking him to the second spot on the list of cricketers with most ODI hundreds. Only one man, legendary Sachin Tendulkar, remains ahead of him, with 49 tons to his name.