The second part of the conversation between MS Dhoni and Kamiya Jani is now out, folks! Instead of a studio couch or a cricket ground, the meeting happens in Vapi. Kamiya Jani, our editor-in-chief, flew down in a helicopter to meet Dhoni for an exciting conversation. The setting is relaxed, the questions aren’t rapid-fire. And Dhoni, as always, answers in the same Captain Cool-coded tone fans have come to associate with him. But once the conversation gets going, it drifts into stories from a much earlier chapter of his life.
When MS Dhoni Joined Indian Railways At Just 18
Dhoni talks about the time he joined Indian Railways through the sports quota when he was just 18. He laughs while remembering how out of place he initially felt. Most of his colleagues were significantly older. Some of them even had children who were around his age. So everywhere he went in the office, people would greet him with the same word: “beta.”
For a teenager who had just stepped into a professional environment, the situation felt slightly bizarre. But it also became part of the journey that significantly shaped his early years.
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“Give Me 15 Minutes” MS Dhoni’s Confidence In Learning Any Sport
That early adaptability didn’t begin with the railway job. Growing up in Ranchi, Dhoni didn’t limit himself to one sport; cricket may have eventually defined his career, but in school, he played whatever the season demanded. Football season? He was there. Cricket season? Obviously there. Other games? He joined those, too.
At one point, he even threw out a playful challenge. Give him about 15 minutes of training in any sport, he said, and he could pick it up well enough to compete. It may sound like bravado, but hearing it now makes the phrase “Thala for a reason” feel fitting.
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On Injuries, Professionalism & Emotions
The conversation then shifts to something athletes deal with constantly: injuries. Dhoni explains it with an analogy that’s easy to understand. A professional athlete, he says, is like a racing car. A normal person, in comparison, is more like a regular car used for daily driving. The difference is in the intensity, and he does not shy away from saying it.
Athletes operate at their highest possible performance levels almost every day with training, competing, and pushing physical limits. So when something goes wrong, even something small, the impact can escalate faster than people expect. That’s why injuries can’t be taken lightly, as they interrupt a system that is already running at full capacity.
Later in the conversation, Kamiya asks Dhoni about the values that help people succeed, particularly in India. His answer doesn’t involve complicated frameworks. He believes success often depends on balancing two things: professionalism and emotional connection.
According to him, many people rush toward professionalism, being efficient, serious, and disciplined. Those things matter. But relationships and emotional connections matter just as much, especially when you’re working with teams.
While talking about how he keeps a positive atmosphere around him, Dhoni drops a line that lingers. “One of the most difficult things to have is a smile on our face,” he wisely said.
He also goes deeper into topics athletes rarely discuss publicly: why delaying treatment for injuries can make things worse, why sleep remains one of the most underrated recovery tools, and why stress often hides opportunity rather than danger.
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If you’re curious to watch the full exchange, the episode featuring MS Dhoni is available on the Curly Tales YouTube channel and the Curly Tales app.
And the story isn’t finished yet. Part 3 of this conversation will be released soon.
Cover Image Courtesy: Internal
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