Kiran More turns 58: Ex-India keeper's role in catapulting MS Dhoni's international debut

Former India cricketer Kiran More celebrated his 58th birthday on Friday, September 4. The veteran stumper is among the top wicketkeepers that India has produced. Kiran More was extremely consistent and his good form with the bat and gloves cemented his place in the Indian side. Kiran More, who started his international career in 1984, went on to play for the country till 1993.

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How Kiran More spotted MS Dhoni's talent in his early days

During his nine-year career, Kiran More affected 130 dismissals (110 catches and 20 stumpings) and scored 1,285 runs with 7 half-centuries in Test cricket. Kiran More also managed to inflict 90 dismissals (63 catches and 27 stumpings) in ODI cricket. Besides a solid international career, Kiran More also served as the BCCI's chairman of selectors from 2002 to 2006. It was during this period when he spotted the talent of MS Dhoni and decided to give him an opportunity.

It was during Kiran More's tenure that the Ranchi-based keeper-batsman broke into the Indian team. While speaking to India Today, Kiran More reckoned that the selection committee and the team management saw something special in MS Dhoni that made them take the gamble and give the gloveman a chance at the highest level. 

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Kiran More gives credit to his entire selection panel for giving MS Dhoni a chance. He added that when he saw MS Dhoni for the first time, he came across as a special player. More stated that 22 people were playing but it was MS Dhoni who stood out amongst them in that match. Kiran More further said that when you look at a player like that, you always feel that there is something special about him. He reckoned that's what you look at as a selector and that's what he and other selectors found in Dhoni.

Kiran More went on to say that when you pick a player, you not only look at performance or the number of hundreds or fifties. He added that you look for a match-winner. Kiran More opined that Dhoni went to Kenya and scored nearly 500 runs which made their job easy. As Dhoni won India matches single-handedly in Kenya with the gloves and bat alike, the selectors got convinced to try him out for the first time during India's 2004 tour of Bangladesh.

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MS Dhoni, who served Indian cricket for nearly 16 years, called time on his international career on August 15. The 39-year old, however, will continue playing in the IPL. Dhoni is currently in the UAE for the 13th edition of the IPL where he will look to guide the Chennai Super Kings to their fourth IPL title.

Kiran More trained Sushant Singh Rajput for MS Dhoni movie

Kiran More had also trained the late Sushant Singh Rajput for the MS Dhoni movie. The MS Dhoni movie starring Sushant Singh Rajput released in 2016 and there was a lot of buzz as the biopic was being made on one of the best captains in the world. Sushant Singh Rajput had a huge responsibility on his shoulders and he did absolute justice to the role by giving an impeccable performance which made him a household name. Incidentally, More played himself in a movie, which depicted a scene featuring the wicketkeeper-batsman lauding Rajput's character after he hits long sixes in one of the matches, that catapulted his rise in the Indian cricketing ranks.

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IMAGE COURTESY: BCCI AND KIRAN MORE TWITTER