The board did not give him permission to participate.
Bangladesh cricketer Sabbir Rahman has claimed that MS Dhoni once invited him to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He mentioned that the former Indian skipper personally approached him with the opportunity.
Sabbir Rahman told BDCricTime that his good performances in major tournaments caught MS Dhoni’s eye. He scored 176 runs in five innings during the Asia Cup 2016, 182 runs in six innings in the World Cup 2015, and 106 runs in three innings against India. Seeing his performances, Dhoni asked if he wanted to play in the IPL and whether the Bangladesh Cricket Board would allow him to join. Sabbir was thrilled and said that playing in the IPL is a dream for every cricketer, and he would have been ready if his board had approved.
“I performed well in the 2016 Asia Cup and had a good run in the 2015 World Cup and the India series. Seeing my performances, Dhoni asked me whether my board would grant me an NOC (No Objection Certificate) and if I was interested in playing the IPL. I immediately said that playing in the IPL is every cricketer’s dream, and if my board approved, I would be ready to play,” he said.
Rahman said he could not play in the IPL because Bangladesh had an international tour at that time. The board did not permit him to participate. Even though he missed the opportunity, he felt proud that Dhoni personally showed interest in him, considering it a big moment in his career.
“There was an international tour at the time, so I couldn’t play. The board didn’t issue an NOC. But just the fact that Dhoni himself approached me is a big achievement for me,” Rahman added.
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Sabbir Rahman believes that playing in the IPL under a legendary captain like MS Dhoni would have been a game-changer for his career. He feels that the experience training and exposure in such a high-profile tournament would have helped him grow as a player. However, he accepts that the opportunity is now in the past and beyond his control.
“If I had played in the IPL back then, things would have been different. Playing in a major tournament under a top captain like Dhoni would have been a great experience. The training, the environment, and the exposure would have helped me a lot. But what didn’t happen is now in the past. There’s nothing I can do about it,” Rahman told.
He has always admired Dhoni, much like he looked up to Shahid Afridi. While playing for Bangladesh, he often batted at the seventh spot, the same position Dhoni mastered as a finisher. This made Dhoni a major role model for him.
“I have always been a big fan of Dhoni, just like I admired Afridi. When I played for Bangladesh, I batted at No. 7, the same position as Dhoni. He was the best finisher, a role model for any No.7 batter,” he added.
In the Asia Cup 2016, Rahman requested Dhoni’s jersey as a souvenir. Later, Dhoni called him to his room, where they had a conversation before giving him the jersey. For Sabbir, it was a memorable experience since he sees the keeper-batter as a great legend of the game.
“During the 2016 Asia Cup, I asked him for a jersey as a memory. He later called me to his room, we had a chat, and he gave me his jersey. I asked him for the jersey because he’s a legend,” he further stated.
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