MS Dhoni, Keenan Stadium and a Surprising Encounter with Ex-India player Saba Karim: 'Who is He? Where did he Come From?'

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MS Dhoni's emergence to the pinnacle of Indian cricket was through a series of struggles. The former India captain had his rise from Ranchi, a third-tier city in the country, where opportunities were not that prevalent.

Apart from that, Dhoni toiled in the public sector as a TTE in South-Eastern Railways at the Kharagpur Rail Station, before setting foot on the international stage.

Dhoni's success as India captain speaks volumes of his class, but even beyond that, his calmness and cricketing brain amaze the experts. But Dhoni, as a youngster, was brute force and a raw talent. His unmatched grit and powerful skill were the driving factors in his rise.

And speaking on 'The Great Indian Cricket Show' on Doordarshan, former India wicketkeeper Saba Karim shared a memory from his early days spotting MS Dhoni during a trial match in Jamshedpur. Recalling the moment at Keenan Stadium Saba described his first glimpse of the future legend.

"As soon as I reached Jamshedpur, managers of the club where I used to play, came to me and said, 'Saba bhai, you have to see this boy.' When the trial match started, I saw him for the first time. He came to bat and hit a pace bowler outside the stadium in the stands. I thought, 'Who is this? Where did he come from?' Hitting a six to a pace bowler was rare back then," he said.

Karim then narrated his brief work with Dhoni, and when the Jharkhand boy led India, his humbleness even at that time was a pleasant surprise.

"Then I saw him keeping wickets-his glove work was unique, with unusual footwork, especially in the leg side. Only his hands used to reach but not his body or legs, he has a unique talent. That year, we opened with him in one-day cricket, and he scored plenty of runs. Before the trial, I trained him in the mornings, giving little tips. His greatness shone through years later when he became captain, and I was a national selector. He remembered those days and remained humble and down-to-earth," Karim added.

At the age of 44, MS Dhoni is still going strong. Despite international retirement, Dhoni continues to feature for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL and will play in this season as well.