MS Dhoni candidly acknowledges that he is "not great" at maintaining connections with others. Several of his former teammates, including two who have won the World Cup twice, have publicly expressed (whether in jest or in earnest) their feelings of being neglected by Dhoni when not on the cricket field. However, Virat Kohli does not fall into this category. He is among the few individuals whom Dhoni has reached out to personally; a notable instance occurred in January 2022 when Kohli stepped down as India's Test captain prior to the South Africa tour. Later that September, following India's defeat to Pakistan in an Asia Cup match—despite Kohli scoring 60 runs off 44 balls—the former captain shared in a press conference how a text message from Dhoni during his challenging times served as a source of motivation.

"Let me clarify: when I resigned from the Test captaincy, I received a message from only one person I had played with before, and that was MS Dhoni," Kohli remarked. "Many individuals have my contact information. On television, people offer numerous suggestions; there is much commentary. Yet, none of those who had my number reached out to me," Kohli stated.

Three years later, Dhoni finally addressed his message to Kohli. When questioned about it during a corporate event, the iconic wicketkeeper-batter remarked, "It's a sense of déjà vu. I was posed a similar question on a JioHotsar show; you will see my response during the IPL. I am not particularly adept at keeping in touch with people, but there are moments when someone requires support, and I simply send a message," Dhoni stated in a video that has since gained widespread attention.

Had a Privelege to interact with @msdhoni at a private corporate event @amittalwalkar @anupamkumar01 @rs_3702 pic.twitter.com/T9yiwAwhcG

— Arpit Awasthi (@arpzrocz) February 25, 2025

‘Dhoni doesn’t need anything from me, neither do I need anything from me': Kohli

Kohli was experiencing one of the most challenging periods of his career at that time. He had made the decision to step down as India's T20I captain and also relinquished his leadership role with RCB in the IPL. A few weeks later, he was unexpectedly replaced as the ODI captain as well. The situation took another surprising turn for Indian cricket fans when Kohli announced his resignation as India's Test captain. His performance with the bat had diminished, and the once-dominant Kohli appeared unsettled. It was during this tumultuous time that Kohli revealed he received a text from Dhoni.

"The respect I have for Dhoni, that genuine connection we share, is evident because there is no insecurity between us. He does not require anything from me, nor do I from him. We are both secure in our positions. If I wish to communicate something to someone, I prefer to reach out to that individual directly to offer my support.

"I believe that public suggestions hold little value for me. If the intent is to aid my improvement, I appreciate a one-on-one conversation where it is clear that the person genuinely wants me to succeed. I approach life with a great deal of honesty, which allows me to discern authenticity. While I do not dismiss the importance of feedback, I recognize the genuine intent behind it. After playing for such an extended period, I have come to understand that the only one who truly looks out for me is the divine. As long as I am capable of playing and deserving of my place, I will continue to play in this manner," he stated.

Kohli made his debut in all formats under Dhoni's captaincy. He succeeded Dhoni as the Test captain after Dhoni's retirement during the 2014-15 tour of Australia, eventually taking over the leadership of the Indian team across all formats before the 2017 Champions Trophy.

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