Former Indian cricketer Ajinkya Rahane recently opened up on one of the lesser-known aspects of MS Dhoni's leadership during an interview with Overlap Cricket. Describing how the former India captain balanced approachability with personal boundaries during team tours. Speaking in a recent interview, Rahane recalled that Dhoni's hotel room was a hub for teammates, where players could walk in freely to chat, relax or spend time together.
"Mahi bhai's room was almost always open for anyone to do anything," Rahane said, highlighting the welcoming environment Dhoni created for both seniors and youngsters. However, Rahane revealed there was one rule that every member of the Indian team respected without exception. "But when his door was shut, no one was allowed," he said, explaining that players instinctively understood that Dhoni needed his private time and never disturbed him. Rahane added that this mutual respect became an unwritten team culture under Dhoni's captaincy.
Reflecting on the legendary wicketkeeper-batter's personality, Rahane described him as "very calm and cool and just a very normal human being," saying those qualities made him easy to approach despite his stature in world cricket. The comments offer a glimpse into Dhoni's understated leadership style, where he remained accessible to teammates while also maintaining clear personal boundaries, an approach that earned the admiration and respect of generations of Indian cricketers.
“Virat and Ravi toughened up Indian cricket”: Ajinkya Rahane on India's Test transformation post MS Dhoni’s captaincy
Ajinkya Rahane believes Indian Test cricket underwent a major transformation after MS Dhoni stepped down as Test captain in December 2014, with Virat Kohli and head coach Ravi Shastri instilling a far more aggressive and fearless mindset. Speaking in a recent interview, Rahane said, "When MS was going away from Test cricket, Virat and Ravi toughened up Indian cricket in Tests, in overseas conditions. The mindset was all about being bold and aggressive rather than defensive and reactive. We were always proactive."
He explained that the team began believing it could win anywhere in the world rather than merely compete overseas. According to Rahane, the emphasis shifted towards fitness, intensity and a winning mentality, which helped India become one of the most dominant Test sides across conditions. He credited the leadership duo for encouraging players to embrace challenges abroad and play with confidence instead of settling for draws.
Reflecting on his partnership with Kohli, Rahane said the pair complemented each other because of their contrasting personalities. "Virat's intensity matched well with my calm personality, and our open, honest conversations helped us build several important partnerships together," he recalled. Rahane added that despite Kohli's fierce on-field persona, he was deeply invested in helping teammates improve and constantly backed players to perform.
While praising Kohli's influence, Rahane also acknowledged Dhoni's contribution, saying the former captain laid a strong foundation before the transition. He expressed concern that India's current Test side must rediscover the same hunger and resilience that defined the Kohli-Shastri era, insisting that the fearless mindset they created should continue to shape Indian cricket for years to come.
