Kolkata, Sep 20: The seeds of it were sown at the dinner table on Tuesday night where the Indian cricket team is staying in Kolkata. One of the army officers from Kolkata Fort William, whom Mahendra Singh Dhoni invited personally over dinner, raised the point that the former India skipper is adept in rifle shooting just like his helicopter shots.
Dhoni tried to refute his friend’s appreciation affably. But at the same time, the intention of going to a shooting range came in his mind.
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Still, Dhoni could not get a chance to try his hands out at shooting. The cloudy sky created a shabby afternoon and Dhoni had to cancel the programme.
The wicket-keeper-batsman while talking to his friend saying, “I missed shooting chances. I thought the sky will be clear and I will have the sunshine in the shooting range."
But it did not mean that Dhoni would be returning to the team hotel frustrated. He immediately kept himself busy in finding out racing bikes and a place in Kolkata if he could ride a bike.
One of his close associates in Kolkata told on condition of anonymity, “Mahi was very eager to practice shooting. But as it did not click he wanted to fulfill his second wish by riding racing bikes.”
It has been learned that Dhoni located a place and also got the bikes he wished to ride.
The 36-year-old might be spending time off the field, but his opponents are busy making strategies against him. Australian bowlers are making plans to counter Dhoni’s change in his batting style.
Australian spinner Adam Zampa told media persons on Tuesday,"We need Dhoni’s wicket badly. He has been now the crunch man in the Indian team."