For all the calmness with which Mahendra Singh Dhoni plays cricket, rarely showing any emotion when his team wins or loses, did you know that the World Cup-winning captain is a big prankster in the Indian dressing room?
At a rapid-fire session with India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and limited-overs specialist, Suresh Raina at a media event here on Wednesday revealed some India dressing room secrets.
Who is the most mischievous of them all?
Asked who was the biggest prankster in the Indian team, Ashwin pointed at Raina who was seated next to him. When his turn to answer came, Raina said: "Bhajjupa (Harbhajan Singh), Virat Kohli, Yuvipa (Yuvraj Singh) and MS Dhoni for sure." The last name invited murmurs among those present "Dhoni? the calmest player in the Indian team".
Ashwin added: "He does it once in a year," evoking laughter.
Asked who the laziest person was, Ashwin said: "Without being diplomatic, it is very difficult to say who is lazy as we cannot afford to be lazy. If you are lazy, you will be sorted out. But Rohit (Sharma), it has to be when it comes to lazy elegance," Ashwin said, as Raina nodded in approval.
Autograph or photograph
The Indian cricketers are most sought-out for autographs. Ashwin clearly remembers the first autograph that he collected, so too Raina.
Ashwin said: "The first autograph I took of a cricketer was Sunny bhai's (Sunil Gavaskar) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. I went to the commentary box. My second autograph was at the Chennai airport of Kapil Dev and Manoj Prabhakar. These are the first three autographs if cricketers."
For Raina, the first autograph he collected was fellow Uttar Pradesh batsman and captain Mohammad Kaif. "When England U-19 team toured England, I clicked a photo of Brian Lara. That was my first photograph of a cricketer," Raina said.
Ashwin also remembered the first autograph he gave. "It has to be in 2008. Not that anybody asked me for autograph. It was to meet sponsor commitments. When people first asked me for an autograph, my initial feeling was 'are you asking me?'. There have been embarrassing moments when you stretch out your hand to sign when actually the book is meant for the person standing next to me," Ashwin said.
Ashwin also decided not to ask for a cricketer's autograph after he once got the autograph of the entire Indian cricket team. "Autographs have to be cherished because you go (the distance) to acquire it".
The off-spinner from Tami Nadu, though, does not refuse autographs, he had to deny people photographs. "I have never turned down autographs. I have turned down photographs. To me, the worst invention is the camera phones. At breakfast tables, people asking selfies can put you off," Ashwin reasoned out.
Raina remembered the first autograph he signed. "We were in Sri Lanka for Under-19 tournament. I must have signed a few cheques because my dad asked me to open a bank account," Raina said.
Extracurricular activities
Asked who the best dancer in the Indian team is, Ashwin said "Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina. During cultural events, Virat and Suresh sing and dance very well."
Raina was quick to add: "Virat sings well and I dance well."
Ashwin said that Raina carried "the most number of bats" among the Indian cricketers, to which the Uttar Pradesh left-hander nodded in agreement. "All of the same size," Raina said.
Ashwin quickly added: "Ishant Sharma does not carry any bat and would pick anyone's bat."
Ishant is also the most messiest player in the dressing room. "Ishant does not have too much to carry but is still the messiest player," Ashwin said. Raina did not beg to differ.
The T20 veteran left-arm pacer from Delhi, Ashish Nehra is the last to board the team bus, Raina revealed. Ashwin added: "I am pretty close, just get in two minutes prior."
Growing beard has been the latest fashion before some of the cricketers followed the 'break the beard' challenge post-IPL 2017. Ashwin said: "Virat's beard is well maintained. Jaddu (Ravindra Jadeja) has a good sense of style with the beard at least."
Raina himself shaved off his beard and sported a French beard while Ashwin was smart and neatly shaven, a different look from the bearded one he sported during the Test series.
The 'stylebhais' in the Indian team was, undoubtedly, "Hardik Pandya" as Ashwin said, while Raina added that it has to be the Pandya brothers "Hardik and Krunal".
