Young wicketkeeper-batter Urvil Patel shares story behind his first meeting with MS Dhoni and joining CSK

26-year-old Urvil Patel went from being unsold in the auction to unforgettable, and calls his first meeting with MS Dhoni a memory for life.

By Sneha Sam

Published on Jul 21, 2025 | 03:00 PM IST | 141K

Urvil Patel & MS Dhoni (via Instagram)

Urvil Patel's latest rise in the 2025 IPL has been nothing short of dramatic. From going unsold at the auction to smashing 31 runs off 11 balls on debut for Chennai Super Kings, Patel has already carved out a storyline fans will not soon forget.

But what stood out even more for him personally was his first meeting with MS Dhoni—one that involved his family and a symbolic yellow jersey.

A special ask and a memorable photo

Speaking on a GC podcast, Patel recalled how he urged his family, especially his father, to attend a CSK match for one reason: to meet “Mahi bhai.” His parents usually avoid match-day appearances, but this time was different.

“Whether you come to the match or not,” Patel remembered telling his father, “I really want you to meet Mahi bhai.” That request changed everything. The family finally met Dhoni at the team hotel, where they posed for a picture together.

“It was even more special,” Urvil said, “as we got to take it together in a yellow jersey.” That moment, he said, is etched in his memory—not just as a cricketer, but as a son who wanted to share something rare with his family.

Debut under pressure, but feeling none of it

Though the pressure of an IPL debut could have been overwhelming, Urvil described a sense of calm. “I expected a huge crowd and felt there would be pressure,” he said. “But for some reason, when I made my debut, I didn’t think about any of that,” he stated

“It felt like I was playing a domestic game. The only thought on my mind was that I had nothing to lose this year. In a way, I was completely blank.” That mindset paid off. Called up as a replacement for the injured Vansh Bedi, Patel delivered an explosive knock against the Kolkata Knight Riders.

Just a year earlier, he had hit a 28-ball century in domestic cricket, and now, he was proving he belonged on the biggest stage.

ALSO READ: Harbhajan Singh remembers IPL slap and how Sreesanth’s daughter now refuses to speak to him