![MS Dhoni in a gym at Ranchi with Rishabh Pant [Source: Instagram]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1785556423019_MSDhoniwithPant.jpg?type=hq)
MS Dhoni in a gym at Ranchi with Rishabh Pant [Source: Instagram]
It is not often that MS Dhoni comes in front of the camera, especially during a crucial phase of the Indian cricket team's preparations. However, in a recent development, the talisman was spotted alongside Rishabh Pant during a training session.
Pant has been selected as India's primary wicketkeeper-batter for the upcoming Test tour of Sri Lanka starting this month and has always been known for his remarkable work ethic.
His recent training session with Dhoni has only added to the excitement surrounding his preparations for the India tour of Sri Lanka 2026. The association of Pant with MS Dhoni was brought to the forefront by former India spinner Shahbaz Nadeem on social media.
MS Dhoni meets Rishabh Pant during training session at Ranchi
Shahbaz Nadeem recently shared a photo of the duo on his social media handle with the caption, "Two of the best finishers of Indian cricket, Pant and Mahi Bhai."
The picture showed Dhoni and Pant posing alongside Nadeem inside a gym, where the two wicketkeeper-batters were training together. Incidentally, Pant was spotted training with the legendary Dhoni in Ranchi, where he is currently based ahead of the Sri Lanka tour.
Since Dhoni resides in Ranchi, Pant's presence at the gym suggests that he is currently in Jharkhand. The picture showed Rishabh Pant wearing a black training kit, while Dhoni was dressed in a tracksuit, indicating that both had been engaged in a training session inside the gym.
The picture shared on Shahbaz's Instagram quickly gained attention, getting more than 21,000 likes within just 14 hours.
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Pant’s training with Dhoni comes as a blessing
Rishabh Pant's training session with MS Dhoni has not come out of the blue. Dhoni, one of the greatest wicketkeeper-batters of his era, could prove to be the ideal mentor for Pant as he looks to revive his form.
For the unaware, Pant is no longer a part of India's white-ball setup but has continued to feature consistently in the Test side under Shubman Gill's leadership. He is coming off a difficult IPL 2026 campaign, where he scored just 312 runs at an average of 28.36 and a strike rate of 138.05.
Pant's disappointing IPL season was followed by a decent innings in the one-off Test against Afghanistan. However, he has still experienced a dip in form and needs a strong turnaround if he wants to remain a mainstay in India's Test setup.
Dhoni, who played 90 Tests and batted in 144 Test innings, could be the perfect mentor to guide Pant both behind the stumps and with the bat.
MS Dhoni can help Rishabh Pant overcome IPL setback in Sri Lanka
Pant's selection for India's Test series against Sri Lanka was questioned by former South African great AB de Villiers. De Villiers cited Pant's poor IPL 2026 numbers as the primary reason for criticising his inclusion in the Test squad.
However, that argument does not hold much weight in the context of red-ball cricket. Now, to silence those concerns, Pant needs to make his bat do the talking and respond with impactful performances on the upcoming Sri Lanka tour.
Dhoni will play an important mentoring role, having spent most of his Test career batting at No. 6 and No. 7. Pant, too, usually bats in the middle order at No. 5 or No. 6 and owns a Test batting average of around 55 along with a strike rate of 80.31.
MS Dhoni’s guidance for Pant in the gym session can be a blessing for the latter as he can absorb from Dhoni's mindset and experience, and can also use those lessons to become a better version of himself.
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