MS Dhoni drove team bus after India-Australia Test in 2008; Laxman reveals more

Mumbai: Former India captain MS Dhoni may have had a struggling year so far, but VVS Laxman revealed an interesting incident when the 37-year-old drove the team bus.

Back in 2008, during Laxman’s 100^th Test when India played Australia in Nagpur, Laxman described more of a ‘playful’ Dhoni. That Test was also Anil Kumble’s farewell match as he passed the baton to Dhoni to lead the team.

“One of my abiding memories is of MS (Dhoni) driving the team bus to the hotel in Nagpur, during my 100th Test. I couldn’t believe my eyes — the captain of the team driving us back from the ground!,” explained Laxman in his autobiography ‘281 and Beyond’.

“It was his first Test in charge after Anil’s (Kumble) retirement, and he didn’t seem to have a care in the world. But he was like that, playful and grounded. MS never lost the joy, the playfulness. I have never met anyone quite like him,” added the former Hyderabad cricketer.

The 44-year-old also went onto to describe a ‘composed’ Dhoni despite India losing a Test series 0-4 against England in the United Kingdom.

"MS Dhoni's calmness and equanimity are legendary. He had seen nothing but success until the tour of England in 2011. We had lost 4-0 in England and had already lost the first three Tests in Australia by the end of that year, and were heading for another whitewash. I was a mess, as were most of the guys, but MS was unbelievably composed. Not once did he lash out, and at no stage did he give the impression that he was frustrated or helpless," continued Laxman.

Dhoni retired from Tests in 2014, but continues to play limited-overs cricket. Howver, he gave way to Rishabh Pant in the upcoming T20I series against Australia.

The first Australia-India T20I will be played in Brisbane on Wednesday.