'If he comes to...': KL Rahul on what MS Dhoni's presence will mean to Team India in the 1st ODI against South Africa

India’s stand-in captain KL Rahul has hinted that cricket fans in Ranchi may be in for an unforgettable treat if legendary former captain MS Dhoni attends the opening ODI against South Africa, which is slated to be played at the JSCA stadium on November 30. This match marks the start of a three-match ODI series that will also travel to Raipur and Visakhapatnam.

KL Rahul on MS Dhoni's expected attendance in IND vs SA 1st ODI

Since the first fixture is taking place in Dhoni’s hometown of Ranchi, his presence in the stands is highly anticipated and expected to electrify the atmosphere. Following a disappointing 0-2 loss in the Test series against Proteas, the ODI series offers India an early opportunity to reset their focus ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup. Speaking at the pre-match press conference, KL Rahul shared his excitement about the possibility of MS Dhoni watching the team play.

“Obviously, we have all played under him. We have all been his fans, and we have also played alongside him. So he is a friend. And to know someone like MS, you know, what can I say — it’s a really happy feeling. Getting an opportunity like this, to know someone as big and as successful as him as an Indian cricketer we have all respected him as a human being as well,” Rahul said in the pre-match press conference.

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Rahul further elaborated that the potential attendance of Dhoni would have a positive impact beyond just exciting the fans in the stadium.

“So if he comes to watch the match, the excitement for the crowd and for us will increase even more. So yes, we’re happy. If the crowd turns up in big numbers, we will also enjoy playing here. And hopefully, we can win the game, put in a good performance, entertain the crowd, and MS Dhoni will also feel happy that we won,” he added.

Head-to-Head

India and South Africa have locked horns with each other in 94 ODI matches. South Africa have a clear edge over India with 51 wins. Meanwhile, India have notched wins in 40 matches, while three encounters ended without a result.

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India's ODI Squad:

KL Rahul (Captain, Wicketkeeper), Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Rishabh Pant (Wicketkeeper), Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, Dhruv Jurel

South Africa's ODI Squad:

Temba Bavuma (Captain), Ottniel Bartman, Corbin Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, Quinton de Kock (Wicketkeeper), Tony de Zorzi, Ruan de Swardt, Reeza Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Keshav Maharaj, Wiaan Mulder, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne, Lizaad Williams, Khaya Zondo.