&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Is MS Dhoni joining India's backroom staff for 2026 T20 World Cup? Ex-teammate addresses rumour")
The Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) has apparently asked MS Dhoni to take up the mentorship role with the men’s team for the 2026 T20 World Cup, per the latest reports. With India and Sri Lanka co-hosting this edition (in February-March next year), Dhoni’s inputs could come in handy for the Men in Blue in their title defence. Addressing this rumour, Dhoni’s former India and IPL teammate and all-rounder Manoj Tiwary cheekily replied, saying, ‘Did he pick up the phone? Because it is difficult to reach him on the phone.'
“Woh phone uthaye hain na? Jahaan tak mujhe pataa hain phone pe milna bohot mushkil hai woh! Message ka reply bhi milta bohot kam hai. Bohot players apne samay main kahaa bhi hai. Pataa nahi woh reply kya karenge…woh message padhenge ki nahi padhenge (Did he pick up the phone? Because it is difficult to reach him on the phone. Replies to messages from him are also sporadic; many players have said this. Will he read the message or not? We don’t know,” Tiwary said when asked by news agency ANI.
“The first thing is whether he will accept the role or not. It’s very difficult for me to predict what impact he will have. His experience as a captain and as a player will be very useful, as the new players emerging today and becoming stars of the Indian team give him a lot of respect. The pairing of MS Dhoni and Gautam Gambhir will also be worth watching,” Tiwary added.
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Meanwhile, Dhoni had earlier taken over a similar role during the 2021 edition of the T20 WC (in the UAE), where Virat Kohli-led Indian Team failed to advance to the next round after losing two of their four contested group stage matches.
On the contrary, as a former Indian captain, Dhoni won all ICC white-ball trophies and is the only man to date to accomplish this feat. Even in the Indian Premier League, Dhoni is the joint-most successful skipper, with five IPL trophies to his name. He also won two now-defunct Champions League T20 competitions, a testament to his greatness as a leader.
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The Men in Blue will next feature in the 2025 Asia Cup, the eight-team tournament to be played in the T20 format starting September 9 in the UAE. India is placed in Group A alongside arch-rivals Pakistan, the hosts and Oman.
