Harare, June 17: India's limited-overs captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has said Zimbabwe is a "very special place" for him since it helped him to get into the national team.
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The 34-year-old Dhoni, who is currently in Zimbabwe leading a young Indian side, on Thursday (June 16) revealed how a tour with India A team in 2004 changed his life.
India completed a 3-0 whitewash against Zimbabwe in the One Day International series recently in Harare. Now, Dhoni and his boys are gearing up to repeat the same feat in 3 Twenty20 Internationals starting tomorrow (June 18).
The Dhoni-led team visited the Indian High Commission in Harare where the skipper recalled his visit to Zimbabwe.
"Zimbabwe is a special place for me. The reason being, before playing for India, this was the tour (in 2004) which really gave me the chance to go into the limelight and get a chance to play for India. So it is a very special place for me. I have always enjoyed coming here. It is the third time for me," Dhoni said in his brief speech at the India House.
In 2004 July-August, Dhoni was part of India 'A' team led by Sairaj Bahutule, for the tours of Zimbabwe and Kenya.
Dhoni hit 2 centuries in a row (120 and 119 not out, both Vs Pakistan A) and a half century in the one-day tri-series, in Nairobi (Kenya), also involving Pakistan A and the hosts. Same year, in December, Dhoni made his international debut (in ODI) against Bangladesh in Chittagong.
Dhoni was run out for a duck in his maiden interntional match. However, he went to become one of the best batsmen and captain in the shorter format. He is the only skipper to have won all three ICC trophies (World Twenty20 in 2007, World Cup in 2011 and Champions Trophy in 2013).
VIDEO: Watch #TeamIndia Captain @msdhoni's speech at the India House in Zimbabwe #ZIMvIND https://t.co/2YGsG5idNd
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#TeamIndia at INDIA HOUSE in Zimbabwe pic.twitter.com/cXu9J1jhDn
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