'People think that it’s very easy to be MS Dhoni' - CSK all-rounder's massive statement on legendary wicketkeeper

MS Dhoni has inspired billions during his illustrious career and the number keeps on growing every year as he lights up the Indian Premier League (IPL) with his unmatched charisma. During his career, he has established himself as a fantastic wicketkeeper-batter and a successful captain. He has won more ICC titles than any other Indian captain.

Dhoni's man-management skills and ability to bring out the best from his players received praise from Shreyas Gopal, who is currently leading Mangalore Dragons in the Maharaja Trophy 2025. The leg-spinner was a part of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) side this season in the IPL, and he got the opportunity to share the dressing room with Dhoni.

The 31-year-old explained how difficult it is to be in Dhoni's shoes and lauded him for his humble demeanour, despite achieving surreal success. Gopal also said that he learned captaincy and the art of finishing, among other things, from the former India skipper.

“It’s very hard to be MS Dhoni; it’s extremely hard. People think that it’s very easy to be MS Dhoni. There is a lot of fame and people shout [cheer], but to be him, to be so grounded and to be so humble and to be so empathetic, caring is very hard. And you also understand that he’s also a human being. He loves doing very simple and basic things, and that is his greatness," Gopal told SportsYaari's YouTube channel.

“Mainly, it’s basically how to handle a player, how to put a player in a tournament, who to use for the specific over, tactically, there have been so many talks with him. And there’s no one better than him; everyone knows that. So, learning captaincy, learning how to finish matches, just learning how to, the way he deals with his stardom,” he added.

The more he plays the game, the more it’s beneficial for cricket: Gopal

While Gopal didn't get a game in IPL 2025 for CSK, he doesn't want to leave the franchise ahead of next season. He said that he wants to spend time as much time as possible around Dhoni as he feels that picking the stalwart's brain could help him improve as a cricketer.

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“To play with Dhoni was a dream for many of us, billions of us maybe. So, I got that chance last year, and I would love to continue that for another few more years. The more he plays the game, the more it’s beneficial for cricket. And the discussions that we have with him in the dressing room, the inputs we get, it’s just priceless. So, I think I’m extremely grateful to be playing for CSK and playing with and under him” he said.