Fact Check: MS Dhoni's old photo falsely linked to farmers' protest, photo goes viral

Legendary Indian captain MS Dhoni is gearing up for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 as he’s already begun his training ahead of the 17th edition of the T20 extravaganza. Recently, an image of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain has been doing the rounds on social media where he can be seen standing alongside a man wearing a turban. The image is being linked with the ongoing farmer’s protest with a claim that the Ranchi-born cricketer visited a gurdwara to express his solidarity with the protesting farmers.

Notably, Dhoni loves farming as he’s often shown his love for the activity by growing fruits in his farmhouse. Hence, people began assuming his natural inclination towards the farmers' cause. However, upon further investigation, it was found that the viral image was from two years back.

Also Read: Jay Shah ranked above Kohli, Dhoni, Rohit in Indian Express' 100 most powerful Indians list

The image was originally captured on July 17, 2022 at Central Gurdwara (Khalsa Jatha) London, which is the oldest gurdwara in Europe. The man in the picture is Gurpreet Singh Anand who shared the image on his Instagram handle with a caption, “Bowled over with the legendary @mahi7781.” With this, we can safely claim that the anecdote regarding the image which is being widely shared is completely false and the fans and general public shouldn’t fall for such fake claims.

In the interim, in anticipation of IPL 2024, Dhoni's resurgence with a nostalgic look reminiscent of his early cricketing days in the international arena is garnering considerible traction. The upcoming edition of the IPL is expected to be the last one for ‘Captain Cool’ who had promised his fans to return for another edition post the IPL 2023 final.

MS Dhoni led CSK to their fifth title in 2023

The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain became the joint-most successful skipper in the history of the league as he led CSK to a record-levelling fifth title beating Gujarat Titans in a pulsating final. Dhoni battled through a knee injury throughout the season and was seen at his vintage best as he took on the bowlers right from the outset.

Also Read: 'I was expecting her to celebrate like MS Dhoni' - Grace Harris on Kiran Navgire's innings against Mumbai Indians

He scored 104 runs from 12 innings in the 2023 edition at a strike rate of 182.46, his highest strike rate in an IPL season, smashing three fours and ten sixes. The Ranchi-born cricketer will be eager to win yet another title in the upcoming edition and bid adieu to the marquee league in style.