Ex-CSK Star, Who Smashed 201 Off 97 Balls, Shares MS Dhoni’s Priceless Advice On ‘Mentality’

Sameer Rizvi saw a dream come true in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season when he was bought by Chennai Super Kings (CSK), allowing him to rub shoulders with childhood hero Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Despite an underwhelming IPL 2024, Rizvi has continued to impress in domestic cricket, recently smashing 201 off just 97 deliveries in the Men’s U23 State A Trophy for Uttar Pradesh against Tripura. Speaking after the game, Rizvi revealed that he took as much advice as possible from MS Dhoni during his CSK stint, and shared the valuable insight given to him by the legendary Indian captain.

“I have spent some good time with Mahi sir (MS Dhoni). It was a dream to share the dressing room with my childhood hero and idol, and I’m grateful to God for making it come true. I learned a lot from him. I wanted to make full use of the opportunity, and whenever I got the chance, I walked up to him and asked him a lot of things,” Rizvi said, in an interview with TimesofIndia.com.

Record Alert

Uttar Pradesh captain Sameer Rizvi smashed the fastest double ton in the history of Men’s U23 State A Trophy, reaching the milestone in just 97 balls

He scored 201*(97) vs Tripura in Vadodara, hitting 13 fours & 20 sixes #U23StateATrophy | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/Ta3ydwxSRX

— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) December 21, 2024

Rizvi stated that Dhoni’s advice has been precious especially when it comes to aiding his powerhitting.

“I used to stand in a corner and watch him closely. He is so calm, and doesn’t care who the bowler is. After the nets, I used to chat with him. He taught me about the mindset and how to take my game forward,” Rizvi further added.

Sharing more on Dhoni’s advice, Rizvi said,” Mahi sir said, ‘Just keep calm in every situation. Whether you need six runs off one ball or one run off six balls, just keep calm. Never think of defeats. If you think about them, you will lose focus immediately.”

Rizvi finished as the second-highest run-scorer of the UPT20 league 2024, and has smashed three centuries in the Men’s U23 State A Trophy. His blazing form with the bat saw him picked up in the IPL 2025 mega auction by Delhi Capitals (DC).