• Home
  • Who Said What
  • Took Ms Dhonis Advice Jharkhand Official Reveals Csk Stars Role In Smat Win

“Took MS Dhoni’s advice”: Jharkhand official reveals CSK star’s role in SMAT win

Soumyajit Dutta

MS Dhoni with Jharkhand Cricket team [Source: @K9winnews/X]MS Dhoni with Jharkhand Cricket team [Source: @K9winnews/X]

After Ishan Kishan and Kumar Kushagra powered Jharkhand to a triumphant Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy campaign, Jharkhand State Cricket Association’s joint secretary revealed that MS Dhoni was the mastermind behind the team and management assembly.

Before the season, the JSCA appointed Shahbaz Nadeem and Saurabh Tiwary as joint secretary and secretary, respectively. 

On the advice of India legend MS Dhoni, Ratan Kumar and Sunny Gupta were brought in as head coach and bowling coach, setting a new foundation for the team’s success.

How MS Dhoni built the team from the shadows

Central to the journey of the win was the guidance of MS Dhoni, as Nadeem revealed while talking to ESPNcricinfo.

“When we started the season, right from the appointment of the coaching staff, we have always taken his [Dhoni’s] advice and suggestions. And he also has a keen interest in the Jharkhand team. He wants them to do well. It feels good that such a big player is paying close attention to our team," Nadeem stated.

As per Nadeem, MS Dhoni’s involvement went beyond broad advice as he went down in the details of each player to spot their strength and weaknesses throughout the tournament too.

“He followed the entire [SMAT] tournament, noted all the strengths and weaknesses of the players and discussed with us. He knows the stats and numbers of each domestic player from Jharkhand. He is very interested in helping Jharkhand cricket grow,” Nadeem added.

Ishan Kishan leads Jharkhand to SMAT 2025 victory

This strategic management paid remarkable dividends, with Jharkhand winning 10 of their 11 matches. They dominated a group containing former champions Delhi, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka, securing a memorable comeback victory against the latter.

Ishan Kishan emerged as the tournament’s highest run-scorer, with 517 runs at a stunning strike rate of 197.32, a performance that earned him a recall to the Indian squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup.

Notably, Ishan Kishan has also been named as Jharkhand’s captain for the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26, where he leads a 20-player team with the likes of Anukul Roy and Kumar Kushagra present.