India, April 24 -- The current world chess champion and the youngest to achieve this title, D Gukesh, is one of the most recognized figures in India at present. The GM defeated Ding Liren in December of the previous year to claim the title of the youngest world chess champion, making history and becoming a national icon.

Not much is known about the young chess prodigy, who is said to be an introverted individual. He recently participated in the Paris Freestyle Grand Slam event, where he did not advance to the playoffs. He will soon compete in the upcoming Norway Open in May, where he is set to face Magnus Carlsen.

Gukesh was recently interviewed by RevSportz, during which he disclosed that he is a fan of MS Dhoni. Speaking about his admiration for the former Indian cricketer, he said, "I remember when I was about five years old, I was watching the 2011 World Cup. The final shot. It is just something. Also, for kids in general, Dhoni is like an emotion. Particularly for me, coming from Chennai, him playing for CSK. So, since childhood, I have looked up to him. Additionally, I can relate to him regarding his demeanor on the field, always composed, calm in critical situations. "

"Something that I try to implement on the chessboard as well. And recently, I have also come to admire Novak Djokovic," he added further.

Gukesh also engaged Paddy Upton as his mental conditioning coach for the World Championship. Upton has previously worked with teams in India, including Dhoni's squad that won the 2011 World Cup. Upton shared that Gukesh’s strategy was to exhaust Liren if the need arose and to prompt the Chinese GM to make errors. "Yeah, we attempted that. I mean, when you are engaged in a World Championship and prepare for 6-7 months for various scenarios and their responses. And we believed it would be wise, considering Ding wasn’t at his absolute best. We just wanted to keep him at the board and extend the game, allowing him to make a mistake," Gukesh remarked.

"Especially after his initial few games, where he had difficulty remaining at the board. "

Read Also: Slip of Tongue: Ex-India Cricketer Links Dhoni with SRH, Sehwag’s One-Liner Sets Record Straight

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