MS Dhoni. (Picture Credit: BCCI)
Where did Dhoni learn it from? Well, that is where the former Indian skipper’s close friend Santosh Lal comes into the picture.
MS Dhoni has lit the skies up with his signature ‘Helicopter Shot’ all through his career, as we all watched and rejoiced at the very same. But, do you know that it wasn’t Captain Cool who invented the shot?
Then where else did Dhoni learn it from? Well, that is where the former Indian skipper’s close friend Santosh Lal comes into the picture.
Santosh and Dhoni grew up playing cricket together in the grounds of Ranchi, and it was from him that the legendary wicketkeeper-batter derived his now iconic ‘Helicopter Shot’.
The story goes that Santosh, a talented cricketer in his own right, possessed the unique ability to wallop the ball off his legs with an effortless flick of the wrist so powerful that the ball would fly over the boundary.
‘Captain Cool’ Dhoni witnessed Santosh master the skill and hence, took the initiative to learn the same from him.
And well, one may say that Dhoni has definitely done Santosh justice and a bit more perhaps, as the shot has become synoymous with the World Cup winning-skipper.
“He (Santosh) and Dhoni would play tennis ball games endlessly. They both worked for the Railways,” stated Nishant Dayal, an old friend of Santosh in a talk with the Indian Express.
“Santosh was fearless as a batsman…Dhoni admired his style and Santosh taught him how to play the helicoper shot.
“Over the years, Dhoni may have patented the ‘helicopter shot’, but growing up, there was someone who was always better at it.”
Unlike Dhoni, an unlucky Santosh could not break through the ranks and make it to even the national level in cricket.
And in more unfortunate news, the talented batter and Dhoni’s beloved friend passed away due to pancreatitis in 2013.
Dhoni tried his all to help his dear friend battle the condition, with medical assitance and even by airlfiting Santosh to Delhi for advanced treatment. But, all his efforts failed ultimately.
But, in the words of JFK, a man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on. And so does the ‘Helicopter Shot’ as Dhoni fired away towards eternal glory with the same, and has cemented his legacy and that of his friend with his iconi shot, that shall live on for generations to come and cherish.
