Former India captain MS Dhoni doesn’t show up to many public events these days. So when he turned up at Salman Khan’s 60th birthday bash in Panvel, Maharashtra, people noticed.
Salman threw a midnight party at his farmhouse with close friends, family, and Bollywood colleagues. And Dhoni’s presence? It became the talk of the night. Even years after hanging up his international boots, the man still commands that kind of attention.
As Dhoni walked out and got into his car, fans gathered outside erupted with chants of “Mahi bhai! Mahi bhai!” It’s a reminder that his charm hasn’t faded one bit, even though he’s been away from international cricket for years.
These days, Dhoni only plays in the IPL. But his fanbase? Still unmatched. It cuts across age groups, cricket loyalties, you name it.
And he’ll be back in yellow soon. Dhoni’s been retained by Chennai Super Kings for IPL 2026, the franchise he’s led with unmatched success. Under his captaincy, CSK became synonymous with stability, backing experienced players while giving youngsters a real shot. Case in point: Murali Vijay played eight straight IPL seasons for CSK, all under Dhoni’s watch. That’s the kind of long-term trust Dhoni builds.
His influence is already rubbing off on CSK’s newest recruits. Kartik Sharma, one of the franchise’s fresh faces, admitted he was completely overwhelmed by the bidding war at the recent IPL auction. He’s “extremely excited” to share a dressing room with the legend himself.
Kartik, along with Prashant Veer, became the joint-highest-priced uncapped players in IPL history when CSK shelled out a massive ₹14.20 crore each for them. Their base price? Just ₹30 lakh. That’s CSK’s way of saying they’re serious about grooming the next generation of Indian talent.
Speaking to JioStar, Kartik opened up about auction night. “First of all, a special thank you to all my family members and friends. Without their support, I don’t think I would have reached this stage. My entire family is very happy, everyone is celebrating and dancing,” he said. He also revealed that playing alongside Dhoni felt like a dream, and he actually broke down in tears as the bids kept climbing.
Kartik’s known for his aggressive middle-order batting and solid wicketkeeping. He’s scored 334 runs in 12 T20 matches at a strike rate of 164, smashing 28 sixes along the way. He’s one of the top six-hitters in the Ranji Trophy. He’s also impressed in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and caught CSK’s eye during training last season, especially with how he handles both spin and pace. Under Dhoni’s guidance, those skills could go to another level.
