Current Indian skipper Virat Kohli returned mid-way from his team’s last tour to Australia to be with his Bollywood star wife Anushka Sharma for the birth of their daughter Vamika. India had gone down 0-1 in the series after getting bowled out for just 36 in the opening Test when Kohli decided to fly back, handing over the reigns to Ajinkya Rahane.


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Kohli’s predecessor MS Dhoni followed a different ethos. Dhoni, one of the most successful Indian captains in all formats of the game and winner of 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 50-over World Cup titles, missed the birth of his daughter Ziva as he was leading the side in the 2015 World Cup in Australia. Although Team India failed to defend their World Cup title in 2015, but Dhoni’s leadership skills still managed to take them to the semifinals that year, where they lost to eventual champions Australia.


The Chennai Super Kings captain has always been very committed to his team – playing with few niggles, negating back issues or being on-field even after being hit on an eye by a bail (in 2016). Dhoni’s wife Sakshi delivered a baby girl, Ziva Dhoni, just ahead of India’s 2015 ODI World Cup campaign. It is believed that Sakshi had dropped a text message to Suresh Raina, Dhoni’s close friend, while informing him of the newborn’s arrival.


While Dhoni had the chance to leave the squad and travel back home, the former Indian skipper chose to stay back with the national side and not lose focus from the World Cup preparations. When a reporter asked him if he is going to see his baby girl during the World Cup, Dhoni told in the press conference, “Not really. I have been blessed with a baby daughter. Mum and daughter both are good. But as of now I am on national duties so I think everything else can wait. The World Cup is a very important campaign.”


Here is what Dhoni said back then...



Dhoni put national duty ahead of his responsibility as a father that year but after announcing his retirement last year, the CSK skipper doesn’t miss a moment rejoicing the time with wife Sakshi and daughter Ziva. Recently, Dhoni purchased a new pony for Ziva to add to his collection of pets – dogs and horses – at his lavish farmhouse in Ranchi.


Before the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 got suspended last month due to rising COVID-19 cases in India, Dhoni’s side CSK were in second place on the points table. IPL 2021 is now set to resume in UAE in September as announced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India.