Captain Cool mixes work with dinner

HYDERABAD: Mahendra Singh Dhoni may be a party animal but the pitch is never far from his mind. Invited to a dinner on the eve of Friday’s ODI by an IPS officer, India’s Captain Cool took time off from the feast to prepare for the match the next day.Hosted by Anjani Kumar, IGP (North Zone) and an old Ranchi hand, at his Amberpet residence, Dhoni suddenly turned from the conversation and asked fellow guest Suresh Raina, “Hey, do you think there’ll be dew tomorrow?”As Raina looked back with an expression of ‘how would I know?’ MSD ordered, “Go check on the lawn outside.” The batsman returned from the errand and reported, “Dhoni Bhai, no dew.” But the captain was in no mood to take chances.“Check carefully. We’ll have a problem if there’s dew,” he said.Raina did the pitch inspection three times.Apart from this aside, the India captain and his understudy spent a pleasant evening, quite at ease with the hosts, their children, and their dog, a huge Newfoundland named Gabbar.Finding Raina hesitant to go near Gabbar -- “Mujhe bahut dar lagta hai bhai, main door hi theek hoon” -- MSD led from the front: “Arrey, kuch nahi karega. Gabbar bahut samajhdar hai.” Over four hours, the conversation wasn’t only about cricket.Both Raina and Dhoni helped themselves to a few rounds of chicken but they said their first love was shakahari.“I love dal-roti, kadi-chawal and rajma,” said Raina, nicknamed Sanu. “But fitness important hai, that’s the reason why I have chicken. I have become a chickenarian of late.”MSD said he loved the chicken biryani and complimented the cook.In between helpings, the duo regaled the kids with anecdotes: MSD about his passion for bikes and cars. And Sanu recounted the ragging he endured back in his college days in Lucknow.As it was time to leave, MSD turned to a child and bid goodbye: “Watch me on TV tomorrow. I’ll be standing near the wickets.”