Following a terrific domestic season, Mandeep Singh made his India debut during the Zimbabwe tour in 2016. Although the right-handed batsman smashed an unbeaten fifty in the second T20I of the three-match series, he didn’t get any opportunity after that.
In his recent interview with Sportskeeda, Mandeep recalled the day of his international debut and how it was like playing under MS Dhoni’s captaincy.
“I can’t describe how it was in words. It was a dream come true. Mahi bhai is very down to earth. We used to play PS together. He doesn’t show off his status or that he is a legendary cricketer. I remember he would always eat with me. We would order desi food like biryani, sit down and eat. It was great to spend time with him,” he said.
Six months after his debut, Mandeep tied the knot with girlfriend Jagdeep Jaswal in Amristar, and the wedding ceremony was attended by none other than his India captain Dhoni.
Seeing Dhoni in the ceremony, the Punjab star was left surprised, and he termed it as one of the most memorable days of his life.
“My wedding was in December 2016, and I invited Mahi bhai. He didn’t tell me whether he would come, said he needed to go to New York. But he came to my wedding and surprised me. For him to take time away from his busy schedule and come, it was a memorable moment for me,” he stated.
Mandeep also revealed that he arrived for the reception ceremony at 8.30 PM while Dhoni had already reached the venue by 8 PM.
“From Ranchi to Delhi to Amritsar is three separate flights and then he had to take a two-hour drive during the harsh fog and biting cold at that time. He took so much effort to come even though I had played only a few matches with him. That’s his simplicity, that’s his greatness,” he concluded.
Mandeep and Dhoni were all set to represent their respective franchises in the 13th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), but due to coronavirus outbreak, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had to suspend the T20 tournament indefinitely.
