“Will talk about the relationship, not the message” - MS Dhoni’s huge statement on Virat Kohli ahead of IPL 2025

Former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni refused to open up on the message he sent to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) star Virat Kohli in 2022 ahead of the IPL 2024 season. Instead, Dhoni willingly detailed how the duo's relationship had evolved over the years.

Kohli revealed that Dhoni was the only cricketer to reach out to him through messages after he stepped down from Team India captaincy in 2022. Kohli took over as Indian captain, across formats, from Dhoni, who led the side admirably in the late 2000s and first half of the 2010s.

Talking about his message to Kohli and their overall relationship on JioStar, Dhoni said:

"I will talk about the relationship, not the message. I like to keep it the way it is. What it does is, it lets other cricketers come to me and ask if they have anything in their mind. They have the feeling: 'Speak whatever you want to him, nothing will come out."

He added:

"Whatever we speak, a third person wouldn't know it'. That trust is very important, especially for cricketers who you have not played with, who you might never play with. But, hey might need some help, regarding cricket, regarding life. So, I have kept it that way."

Dhoni led India to three ICC white-ball titles with Kohli playing a major role in the final two - 2011 ODI World Cup and 2013 Champions Trophy. The duo has also been part of every IPL season since its inception in 2008 and is currently playing the ongoing 2025 edition.

"I gave him honest opinions" - MS Dhoni

Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni have maintained an excellent relationship over the years [Credit: Getty]

MS Dhoni believes his relationship with Virat Kohli has gradually evolved into a friendship over the years, thanks to the honesty in communication. While Kohli played under Dhoni in the first half of his career, the reverse transpired in the latter stages of Dhoni's career, including his final international assignment - the 2019 ODI World Cup.

"I gave him honest opinions. That’s how the relationship grew. It was more of a captain and a newcomer at that point in time. But once you keep interacting, you become friends. I still feel that there is a line in the middle - of a senior and a junior. But we are still friends. So, we have an amazing companionship. Both of us are not captains now, which gives us more time together before the toss," said Dhoni.

He continued:

"Me and Virat, right from the start he was someone who wanted to contribute. He was someone who was never happy with 40 or 60. He wanted to score a hundred and remain not out in the end. That hunger was there right from the start.He quickly improved his batting, and that will to perform and score was what kept him going. He raised his fitness levels. He has always been like that."

Dhoni's CSK and Kohli's RCB are each off to an incredible start in IPL 2025, winning their opening encounters against Mumbai Indians (MI) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), respectively.