Chandresh Narayanan - Times News Network

Basseterre, St Kitts, Jun 20: After another hard day on the beach, India wicket-keeper MS Dhoni was very tired but still very excited. The reason for his excitement is the imminent arrival of his latest bike at his home in Ranchi.

"Tomorrow or the day after tomorrow is delivery time. It will be my seventh bike - a Kawasaki ZX 14, 1352 cc. It is the fastest production bike, faster than the Suzuki Ibusa," Dhoni told TOI in an interview. Dhoni revealed his life beyond cricket in an hour-long chat.

Excerpts...

When you were a youngster, how many times was the ball lost after you hit it?

We used to play on a big ground in our colony, the Mecon Stadium. So chances of the ball being lost were slim. But still, since we played in a corner of the field, we had to search for the ball if it crossed the boundary wall. I believe we did lose quite a few balls. We used to play a lot of competitive tennis-ball cricket and I really love that part of my life.

So you are familiar with the ball being lost.

You can say so. The grounds are huge at the international level, but at some venues, the grounds are not very big. At St Kitts and some stadiums in India, the chances of the ball being lost are high.

This has been your longest time away from home when on tour. How often do you call up home?

I make a call on my cellphone at least once a day, either after I get up or late at night because of the time difference between India and the West Indies. It's a long tour, spanning nearly 60-65 days, so feeling homesick is an obvious thing. We have another 17 days and two more Test matches to go on the tour and I am focussed on that.

What does your family tell you when you call?

One thing that is clear between me and my family is that we don't talk cricket. Most of the talk is about my dogs, surroundings and the health of family members.

How many dogs do you have?

I have two dogs - a German Shepherd and a Labrador. Sam, the German Shepherd, is nearly two years old and Zara, the Labrador, is around five months old.

Any particular secret behind their names?

Nothing really. Sam is after the serial 'I Dream of Jeanie'. And Zara came to mind after seeing the movie Veer Zara.

Who looks after your bikes when you are away?

I disconnect the batteries and cover the bikes when I am away. I don't want anyone to touch my bikes. When I get back, I do the cleaning myself and drive the bikes. I'm very possessive about my bikes.

Have you always been interested in bikes?

Yes. Even if I had to go from Ranchi to Jamshedpur, which is 129 km away, I preferred using a bike if I didn't have luggage with me. Even now, if it's not too hot or raining, I prefer using my bikes.

Apart from cricket, what keeps you occupied during tours?

I speak a lot to my close friends on my cellphone, though I mostly don't take calls in my room. Then, surfing the Net is something I like doing. I enjoy being myself. Sometimes in India, we can't roam around freely, like we can in the West Indies.

Who are your closest friends in the team?

The new bunch - Irfan, Raina and Sreesanth. In the team bus, we are the backbenchers.

Backbenchers are naughty...

We are not the naughtiest but we are the noisiest. Even if we are not winning, we try to get everybody to relax. We joke around, and if it's a long journey, we even sing.

You have had a good first year in international cricket. Are you prepared for the second year, which is usually tough?

Most say the second year is the toughest because other teams read you very well by then. But it depends on where you are playing, the conditions and the opposition. I generally prepare myself series-wise.

On this tour, which former cricketer has helped you?

I had a chat with psychologist Rudi Webster, who is a former cricketer. He is a good motivator and was with the team for seven days. He has helped us become mentally stronger.

Your top three knocks so far?

The 148 against Pakistan at Vizag, the 183 against Sri Lanka at Pune, and the 148 against Pakistan in the Faisalabad Test.

Is the 148 against Pakistan in the Faisalabad Test your most satisfying knock?

I would say that both my innings of 148 against Pakistan are special. Both knocks came in my fifth match - the 148 at Vizag was my fifth ODI and the 148 in Faisalabad was my fifth Test.

Are you superstitious?

I am superstitious but not to the extent that I will choose my room number. Generally, when I get up in the morning, I don't have sweets or chocolates to start off.