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MS Dhoni-Gautam Gambhir To Lead Indian Management In T20 WC 2026: Fact Check

Probuddha Bhattacharjee

Recent posts about MS Dhoni being offered the role of India's mentor ahead of T20 WC 2026 [Source: @WorshipDhoni/x.com]Recent posts about MS Dhoni being offered the role of India's mentor ahead of T20 WC 2026 [Source: @WorshipDhoni/x.com]

MS Dhoni has been one of the most successful captains in Indian white-ball cricket. He won the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007, the 2011 ODI World Cup, and the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy while remaining at the helm. With all the major ICC tournaments under his belt, Dhoni came to be appreciated for his game-reading skills and his spontaneous on-field decisions.

His leadership skills have been much discussed as a point of contention among fans. Additionally, cricket experts have consistently praised his qualities as a captain on the field. A recent rumour has surfaced that the BCCI is considering appointing MS Dhoni as a mentor for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026.

MS Dhoni's Previous Stint As Mentor Of India

Notably, if this turns out to be true and Dhoni accepts the offer, it would not be the first time he has held this role. The Indian legend played the same role during the 2021 T20 WC when Ravi Shastri was the head coach of the team and Virat Kohli the captain.

However, the stint of MS did not go as everyone expected. In fact, it was during this period that India faced their only defeat against Pakistan in a World Cup.

Are The Rumours Of MS Dhoni Returning As India Mentor True?

The recent discussions are the result of a report from Cricblogger, which claims a BCCI official as its source. Neither BCCI nor MS Dhoni has confirmed anything around this development.

However, if the rumours turn out to be true, this would mean the reunion of Gautam Gambhir and MS Dhoni, the duo that scripted the famous 2011 ODI World Cup final win against Sri Lanka. Besides, there have also been rumours of a rift between the two players. 

Gautam Gambhir has often spoken openly about some of Dhoni's decisions as the skipper in the press. However, whenever they have spoken directly about each other, they have shown enough mutual respect and admiration.

With no confirmed news about these recent rumours, we can put this down as speculation for now. Notably, even ahead of the T20 WC 2024, there were reports of the BCCI thinking about Dhoni as the mentor. However, those turned out to be pure speculations. So, as long as there is no official declaration from either party, we can say that these are once more fan-created rumours.