For Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Kolkata isn’t just another venue. It’s a city etched into the early chapters of his cricketing journey -- one that shaped the boy from Ranchi long before the world knew him as 'Captain Cool'.
On Wednesday, as the Chennai Super Kings step onto the hallowed turf of Eden Gardens to face off against Kolkata Knight Riders, the moment could carry a quiet poignancy for the 43-year-old and the thousands who revere him in the City of Joy. This isn’t just another IPL fixture. For Dhoni, who could be playing one final time, at the venue, this is personal.
His in-laws live here. His first-class roots run deep in the soil of Bengal.
It was at Eden in January 2001 that a young Dhoni, then representing Bihar, announced himself with a maiden first-class century -- a knock that now feels prophetic in retrospect.
Later, wearing the India whites, he would go on to score two of his six Test centuries at this iconic venue.
But Eden is just part of the story.
Kolkata’s local cricket circuit still remembers the determined young man who played for Shyambazar Club in the P Sen Trophy final, battling fever to steer his team to victory against Sporting Union -- a performance that remains a part of club cricket folklore in the city.
Back then, Dhoni was still juggling duties as a ticket collector for Indian Railways in Kharagpur, another piece of lore that adds to his mythos. He wasn’t the superstar yet -- just a gritty, talented youngster trying to make his mark.
As Eden rises in applause once again, it won’t just be for the cricketer -- it will be for the memories he left behind, and the legacy that began on this very soil.
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