Dhoni — the catalyst for Jharkhand’s cricket revolution

The boys from the small towns are staring at the big, bold lights of the city as cricket spreads its wings in the country.

Hometown hero: The talismanic Mahendra Singh Dhoni is a hit everywhere especially in his hometown of Ranchi and the State of Jharkhand.

There is a cricket revolution happening in Jharkhand. You can see it in the billboards across the city, advertising the mushrooming cricket academies.

On them are not just the images of the iconic Mahendra Singh Dhoni but also of lesser stars such as Saurabh Tiwary.

It is fitting that Ranchi is staging its inaugural Test when Jharkhand’s fortunes in the domestic arena are at an all time high. The side, bucking the odds, reached the semifinals of the Ranji Trophy and has progressed to the last four stage in the ongoing Vijay Hazare one-day competition.

The boys from the small towns are staring at the big, bold lights of the city as cricket spreads its wings in the country. We have come a long way from the time when traditional power centres ruled the cricketing scene in India.

Jharkhand is a wonderful example. And Dhoni has been an inspiration. Ranchi’s cricket boom has been triggered and sustained by his immense achievements.

First name on lips

Dhoni might be far away from Ranchi, captaining the State in the Hazare tournament, but his presence can be felt in different ways. From the taxi driver to the man in the hotel lobby, Dhoni bhaiya is the first name on many lips.

Chanchal Bhattacharya, Dhoni’s first coach, who visited the ground on Wednesday, spoke about the wicketkeeper-batsman’s desire, commitment and immense ability that he was able to harness. Dhoni’s story is the stuff of dreams; from being a ticket collector who boarded one of the crowded trains in these parts, he became India’s legendary captain. During his journey, the man called Mahi broke through several barriers.

And his explosive ways with the willow fired the imagination of many aspiring cricketers of his State. Today, Jharkhand has so many cricketers with potential, from Ishan Kishan to Ishank Jaggi, from Rahul Shukla to Shahbaz Nadeem.

Sense of belief

Not to speak of fast bowler Varun Aaron, who became the second cricketer from Jharkhand to represent India. “Dhoni gave us all a sense of belief,” Aaron said.

Dhoni has been the torchbearer for his State, its brightest shining star.