Asia Cup 2025: ‘MS Dhoni is my guru’ - Oman wicketkeeper names Indian legend as his idol

Published - 19 Sept 2025, 18:56 IST | Updated - 19 Sept 2025, 18:56 IST

Oman wicketkeeper-batter Vinayak Shukla has said that former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is his mentor and a major source of inspiration. He added that the way the 44-year-old finished matches in his prime was unmatched and expressed his hope of meeting him someday.

Shukla moved from India to play in Oman on November 21, after not getting enough opportunities to represent Uttar Pradesh in domestic cricket. He is currently part of Oman’s Asia Cup 2025 squad, where he has played against the UAE and Pakistan, scoring a total of 22 runs so far.

“As a wicketkeeper-batsman [batter], my inspiration has always been Mahendra Singh Dhoni - the way he finishes games and leads the team is unmatched. He is my guru. I have never met him but I want to meet him. It was a very difficult decision. I left Indian cricket in November 2021 and moved to Oman to pursue my dreams. I work as a Data Operator at National Metal Cans. Back in Kanpur, I started playing at local clubs like the PAC Cricket Ground, and then moved around different cities,” said Shukla to The Times of India.

"But the problem was, I just wasn’t getting the opportunity to represent the state. I spoke to some seniors, and then went to one of my coaches, Prakash Palande sir. He gave me an opportunity to go to Muscat. He told me I’d have to stay there for around two years, and if I performed well, I could get a chance to represent the country after about three years,” he added.

Oman will face India on Friday, September 19, in the continental tournament, where Shukla will come up against a familiar opponent in Kuldeep Yadav. Shukla revealed that he had played club cricket against the 30-year-old in Kanpur and cherishes the memories from those days.

“I’ve played with Kuldeep Yadav back in India, so I hope we’ll meet soon. It’s a great opportunity for me and my team to play against sides like Pakistan and India. We grew up watching these players on TV all the time. I’m pretty nervous, but excited as well. I remember playing matches with Kuldeep bhai in Kanpur,” Shukla said.

"He was with Rovers Club and I played for PSE. We had many friendly games together. Once he bowled to me and I hit him for four, and he said, ‘Oh, pretty good shot!’ There are some fond memories, and I’ll always cherish those,” he added.