REVEALED: How MS Dhoni Helped Jharkhand Win SMAT 2025

Jharkhand’s victory in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025 marked a landmark moment in Indian domestic cricket, as they outplayed Haryana in the final to script a historic title win. While skipper Ishan Kishan rightly grabbed the spotlight for leading the side, the success of the team was built on a strong collective effort involving players, support staff and administrators.

Shahbaz Nadeem, the joint secretary of the Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA), shared behind-the-scenes influence of former India captain and one of the best wicket keepers in the world, MS Dhoni. By saying that, Dhoni played a crucial role in shaping the team’s outlook.

In a recent interview, Nadeem explained that Dhoni remained closely connected with the setup from the early stages, offering guidance on mindset, structure and professionalism. His impact was felt even in key decisions such as the appointment of coaches, with Dhoni’s experience helping Jharkhand build a more confident and competitive unit that went on to win the title for the first time.

What was MS Dhoni Role in Jharkhand SMAT Win?

Jharkhand’s journey in Indian domestic cricket has been marked by near-misses. The state fell short against Bengal in the 2017 Vijay Hazare Trophy semifinal and suffered another setback against the same opponents in the Ranji Trophy quarterfinal a few years later.

Under Ishan Kishan’s leadership, Jharkhand finally changed their fortune by beating Haryana in the final and winning ten of their eleven matches across the tournament. The JHA vs HAR Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025 final scorecard suggests how Kishan set the tone with the bat earlier. He also emerged as the leading run-scorer with 517 runs from eleven games.

The celebrations focused on the players, but the title also showed the efforts of a restructured system put in place ahead of the season by Saurabh Tiwary and Shahbaz Nadeem. Now serving as secretary and joint secretary of the Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA) respectively, Tiwary and Nadeem reshaped the team’s approach along with the guidance from Jharkhand’s most iconic cricketer, Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Dhoni played an active advisory role before the season. Rather than opting for high-profile coaches, he encouraged the association to back coaches who understood local conditions and players. Following that advice, Jharkhand went with homegrown head coach Ratan Kumar, bowling coach Sunny Gupta, and seasoned fielding coach Madhusudan Tantubhai.

Shahbaz Nadeem on MS Dhoni's Role in Jharkhand's SMAT Win

Shahbaz Nadeem, the joint secretary of the Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA), has spoken about the behind-the-scenes role played by former India captain MS Dhoni in shaping the team’s mindset. MS Dhoni SMAT influence was key to Jharkhand's victory in this competition.

Dhoni, who is regarded as the GOAT of cricket, also maintained direct communication with the players across all levels in Jharkhand cricket, from the men’s and women’s teams to the age-group sides. He regularly engaged with the squads, interacting personally with players and sharing insights from his experience.