Dhoni refuses to inaugurate Mahendra Singh Dhoni pavilion: The veteran Indian wicket-keeper batsman has yet again avoided limelight.
The vogue of honouring cricketers by naming a pavilion or a stand of their home ground on their name is and age-old one. However, there are a few fortunate cricketers who receive such a distinction. A cricketer who receives the same while still in his playing days is nothing short of a legend.
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Former India captain and current wicket-keeper batsman Mahendra Singh Dhoni has become latest cricketer to be conferred with the privilege of having a pavilion named on his name.
Dhoni, who hails from Ranchi (Jharkhand), has been given the honour by the Jharkhand State Cricket Association as one of the stands and the VIP boxes of the JSCA International Stadium Complex has been renamed to “Mahendra Singh Dhoni Pavilion”.
“At the AGM last year, the decision was taken that the North Block stand that comprises media enclosure as well as VIP boxes would be named after Dhoni,” JSCA secretary Debashis Chakraborty told PTI on Wednesday.
With the third ODI of the ongoing Australia’s tour of India to be played in Ranchi, Dhoni was requested to inaugurate the stadium by the state association. However, the 37-year old cricketer refused to do the same in his archetype manner.
“Ghar ka ladka apne hi ghar mein kya inaugurate karega?”
“We requested him but he said ‘“Dada main toh isi ka hissa hu. Ghar ka ladka apne hi ghar mein kya inaugurate karega? (I am a part of this ground. How can a person inaugurate something in his own home)”. He is still so humble and down to earth,” Chakraborty said.
Given the individual that he is, this is not the first time that someone closely associated with Dhoni has spoken highly about him being down the earth and avoiding emphasis on himself.
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Other contemporary cricketers to receive the honour
Recently, England fast bowler James Anderson has also received a similar stature as The Pavilion End of Old Trafford, Manchester, was renamed to The James Anderson End. Former West Indies captain Darren Sammy is another named which comes to mind as he has an entire stadium named after in Darren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, Gros Islet, St Lucia.
