Sometimes the most interesting interviews don’t begin at a table; they begin mid-air. That’s exactly how this Curly Tales episode with MS Dhoni kicked off. Our editor-in-chief, Kamiya Jani, flew to Vapi in a helicopter to meet the “Captain Cool” for a fun chat.
MS Dhoni Identifies As A Small Town Boy
When Kamiya asked Dhoni how much he enjoys coming to Vapi, his answer quickly circled back to where he comes from. Mahendra Singh Dhoni grew up in Ranchi, and he spoke about how that upbringing still shapes the way he experiences places today. For him, towns like Vapi carry a familiarity that big metropolitan cities often lack.
He described himself quite simply as a “small-town boy.” In places like these, he said, life slows down just enough for people to have time for themselves. There is less traffic, fewer distractions, and a sense of grounding that is hard to replicate elsewhere.
Interestingly, the Vapi visit itself was not some carefully planned itinerary. Dhoni admitted that he often enjoys spontaneous decisions. If something feels right in the moment, he is happy to go along with it, and this trip happened in much the same way.
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Does “Captain Cool” Ever Lose His Cool?
Of course, any conversation with Dhoni inevitably circles back to the label that has followed him for years: Captain Cool. Kamiya Jani, our editor-in-chief, playfully asked him a question many fans have probably wondered about, are there moments when he feels like saying “bas, ab aur nahi” and dropping the calm exterior altogether?
Dhoni responded with a laugh before giving a very straightforward answer. He said he is human, like everyone else. There are moments when things go wrong, and irritation creeps in, but he clarified that it is rarely pure anger. What bothers him more are situations where mistakes happen from the “controller’s side,” or when things that could have been handled better end up slipping through.
It is more about the frustration many people experience when avoidable errors occur.
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MS Dhoni On Leadership, Decision Making & More
The discussion then shifted toward decision-making, a subject Dhoni has become synonymous with after years of leading India on the field.
When asked whether he prefers quick decisions or sleeping over them, Dhoni pointed out a simple reality about cricket: the game rarely gives you the luxury of time. On the field, choices have to be made within seconds: which bowler to trust, where to place a fielder, and whether to take a review? Waiting too long simply is not an option. Because of that, Dhoni has always leaned heavily on instinct. Gut feeling, he explained, plays a big role.
At one point during the conversation, he dropped a line that quietly captured the way he views the modern world: “In today’s world, everybody keeps speaking, but we also have to listen.”
It was the kind of observation that was as much like a cricket insight as a life lesson. Leadership, Dhoni admitted, has never been entirely comfortable territory, especially when communication becomes difficult. He shared that he has never been someone who is extremely expressive. Like many people who lean toward introversion, he sometimes finds it challenging to articulate things openly.
That personality trait, he said, makes certain captaincy moments particularly tough. Delivering difficult decisions, like informing someone they have been dropped, is never easy. Dhoni revealed that in such situations he has a specific piece of advice for players who face setbacks or are left out of the team. It is something he believes helps people deal with disappointment and move forward constructively.
But the full explanation of that advice, he teased, is something viewers will have to discover by watching the episode.
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If this conversation left you curious for more, there’s good news; part 2 of this episode is also released. You can watch the complete episode featuring MS Dhoni on the Curly Tales YouTube channel or stream it directly on the Curly Tales app.
Cover Image Courtesy: Internal
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