Robin Uthappa opens up about friendship with MS Dhoni: It's very difficult for me to call him Mahi bhai at CSK
India Today
Recalling the early days of his friendship with MS Dhoni, Robin Uthappa said the former India captain spoke very less but everyone listened to him whenever he spoke. The CSK batter said his former India teammate has been a fun-loving guy.
India and Chennai Super Kings batter Robin Uthappa said it was difficult for him to call his ‘good friend’ MS Dhoni ‘Mahi Bhai’ when he signed up to play for Chennai Super Kings in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, adding that he went up to the former CSK captain and spoke about his inhibition.
Robin Uthappa, speaking to R Ashwin, shared memories of his early days with the senior national team and how he became good friends with MS Dhoni. Uthappa said Dhoni didn’t expect the Karnataka batter to address him ‘Mahi bhai’ which was how the youngsters in the team addressed the World Cup-winning former captain.
Uthappa, who made his India debut in 2006, said he first met Dhoni at a Challenger Trophy in 2004 and the two players got to know each other well when Uthappa began travelling with the Indian team.
Uthappa and Dhoni played 47 matches for India together between 2006 and 2012 before they reunited at CSK in 2020.
“Today, for me, it's very hard to call him Mahi bhai. Because when I got to know him he was Mahi, MS,” Uthappa said on Ashwin’s YouTube show.
“I played with him after 12 years. After 2008, when I got dropped from the team, I am playing with him in the same team after like 12-13 years.
“I said ‘What should I call you, dude? I don't know. Should I call you Mahi bhai because everyone around me is calling you Mahi bhai?’
