'Was shocked and wondered what had happened' - Vaibhav Arora recalls deafening roar for MS Dhoni on IPL debut [Exclusive]

Published - 27 Dec 2025, 13:22 IST | Updated - 27 Dec 2025, 18:44 IST

Vaibhav Arora's trajectory in the IPL has only grown upwards since his debut season in 2022. He initially started off with Punjab Kings. From 2023 to 2025, Vaibhav has enjoyed immense success with Kolkata Knight Riders. Although the economy rate has been on the higher side, Vaibhav has been a constant feature of the XI. His breakthrough season was the 2025 one, in which he picked up 17 wickets in 12 matches.

The KKR speedster was recently involved in a chat with this site. Out of the several themes he touched on, he also revealed what it felt to experience hearing the crowd erupt in chants whenever former India captain and Chennai Super Kings stalwart MS Dhoni walks out to bat. The right-arm pacer revealed that the first time he had witnessed such a spectacle left him with chills.

"I made my IPL debut against CSK in Mumbai during the Covid season, when only 50% of the stadium capacity was allowed. It was my debut match, and as I was warming up and bowling for a while, there was suddenly a huge roar in the stadium. I was shocked and wondered what had happened. Then I saw Mahendra Singh Dhoni walking out from the dressing room, that’s when I realised why the crowd was so loud. I instantly got goosebumps. Whenever he enters the field, the noise level rises so dramatically that it leaves you stunned," Vaibhav told CricTracker in an exclusive conversation.

"On my debut, I finished with figures of 2 for 21. After the match, he came up to me and said, 'Very well bowled, keep it up and do well,' he added.

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The youngster was amongst the 12 players retained by the three-time winners ahead of the mini auction for IPL 2026. The upcoming instalment of the marquee league promises to be another exciting one with regard to Vaibhav and the new heights he has the potential to scale. Vaibhav is currently representing Himachal Pradesh in the 2025-26 Vijay Hazare Trophy after an impressive Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy campaign.