A still from M.S. Dhoni
A still from M.S. Dhoni

Yesterday, I finally managed to catch a show of M.S. Dhoni with my dad. And I couldn’t hold back my tears in some of the sequences. The inspirational journey of Mahendra Singh Dhoni is now known to all. And now, everyone also knows that the ace cricketer always found immense support in his family and friends. Dhoni’s best buddies, Seemant Lohani (Chittu), Paramjit Singh (Chottu bhaiya) and Santosh Lal (the one who thought him the helicopter shot) had always been his pillar of strength.

M.S. Dhoni with his friend Santosh Lal
M.S. Dhoni with his friend Santosh Lal

But unfortunately, Santosh succumbed to pancreatitis and passed away in 2013. According to a report in Indian Express, Dhoni had flown to the US from the Caribbean after helping India win the tri-series in Port-of-Spain. And that’s when found out about Lal’s deteriorating condition. The sports star had immediately arranged for his friend to be shifted to Delhi by air ambulance. Dhoni was later shaken when he later received the news of his close friend’s demise. They both had commenced their cricketing journeys together and they continued to share a thick bond.