Rahul Tripathi recalls special advice from MS Dhoni ahead of IPL debut

Indian cricketer Rahul Tripathi has shared insights about valuable guidance he received from MS Dhoni before his Indian Premier League debut in 2017. The advice from his former captain focused on staying true to his natural playing style.
Tripathi's IPL journey began in the league's tenth season with Rising Pune Super Giants, where he played alongside Dhoni. The veteran wicketkeeper-batsman helped ease Tripathi's pre-match anxiety before his first game.
"Two days before I was going to play my first match, I was observing him in the dressing room. He called me and told me not to try or think about anything extra and asked me to play the way I was playing while training. Given that this advice came from a cricketer of that stature and the fact that I was going to play my debut match, it gave me a lot of confidence. It really calmed my nerves," Tripathi said on the House of Glory podcast.
“I am blessed to have gotten the time to spend with him. It’s the dream of many people in the cricket world to share experiences with him and play alongside him. And by being with him, I have seen that he keeps it simple,” he further added.
Tripathi's international cricket career began in January 2023 when he made his T20I debut against Sri Lanka at age 31. The long wait tested his resolve, but he maintained a positive outlook throughout the journey.
"I never gave up. At times, it was tough, and it felt that the dream to represent India was quite far away. But I decided to keep trying and always believed that one day I would get the opportunity I was waiting for. And I feel this belief was one of the reasons why I finally received the opportunity."
"It was a very emotional moment. After travelling with the team for 6-7 hours, I was finally able to make my T20I debut. Coincidentally, I made my debut at my home ground in Pune, where I have been playing cricket since childhood. So I think it was all written."
The 34-year-old cricketer attributes much of his success to Abhishek Nayar, former India player and current Indian team batting coach.
"I think the biggest and most important contribution in my journey has been made by Abhishek Nayar. I consider him my elder brother. Meeting him was the changing point of my life."
"We played together in BPCL for a year, but when I joined KKR, it was a different experience with Dinesh Karthik also being there. I really enjoyed my time there. I call him Abhi dada, and I feel it's because of his contribution that I was able to fulfill my dream to play for India."
Tripathi will represent Chennai Super Kings in the upcoming 18th edition of the IPL, which begins on March 22.