Dhoni hosts Kohli for special Ranchi dinner, then drives him back to hotel; video goes viral

Ranchi turned into a hub of excitement on Thursday night as former India captain MS Dhoni hosted Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant for a special dinner at his residence.

The intimate gathering became the most talked-about moment ahead of India’s ODI series against South Africa, with visuals dominating social media within minutes.

Kohli, who flew in from London a day earlier, drove to Dhoni’s home in the evening along with Pant.

Reunion of the year? 🥺#INDvSA 1st ODI | SUN, 30 NOV, 12:30 PM pic.twitter.com/wu2qSTn30i

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) November 27, 2025

The two spent several hours at the veteran’s residence, enjoying what insiders described as a warm, relaxed get-together—something that has now become a tradition whenever India plays in Ranchi.

Rishabh Pant at MS Dhoni house pic.twitter.com/L9Qh33rvMA

— Yash MSdian ™️ 🦁 (@itzyash07) November 27, 2025

Fans later captured Dhoni himself behind the wheel, dropping Kohli back to the team hotel, a gesture that fuelled nostalgia and reminded many of their long-standing bond.

BEST PICTURE ON THE INTERNET TODAY. ♥️

- Virat Kohli & MS Dhoni riding together in a same car at Ranchi. pic.twitter.com/ubW8mKxPuU

— Tanuj (@ImTanujSingh) November 27, 2025

Videos showed Dhoni’s house bustling with arrivals, not just from Kohli and Pant but also from Rohit Sharma and Ruturaj Gaikwad, who joined the informal gathering.

The dinner created a calm and comforting environment for players coming off a tough Test series loss, offering a quiet moment of camaraderie before shifting focus to the ODIs.

A Familiar Ranchi Ritual

Whenever India travels to Ranchi, players visiting Dhoni’s home for dinner has become an unspoken ritual. The former skipper, though retired, continues to command immense affection within the team.

Younger cricketers like Gaikwad and Tilak Varma often look forward to these evenings, seeing them as an opportunity to bond, share experiences, and ease into the pressure of an upcoming series.

Thursday's dinner was no different. With the ODI squad gathering in the city, Dhoni’s hospitality set the tone for the team’s reset phase. For Pant, coming off a difficult Test series, and Kohli, returning to ODIs after mixed form against Australia, the evening provided a much-needed breather.

Players Begin Training; Leaders Return

Earlier in the day, Kohli and Rohit Sharma were seen practising in the nets along with Tilak Varma and Gaikwad. This South Africa series marks the return of both senior batters to ODI cricket. India will also be without Shubman Gill, ruled out due to injury, leaving Pant and Gaikwad with greater responsibilities in the middle and top order respectively.

Pant Seeks Fresh Start; Kohli Eyes Momentum

Pant, who apologised to fans during the Test series saying the team “didn’t play good enough cricket,” now gets a fresh chance at redemption in the ODI format — his first since August 2024. Kohli, meanwhile, will look to build on his match-winning fifty in the last ODI against Australia after back-to-back ducks earlier in the series.

India’s ODI Squad

Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, KL Rahul (C) (wk), Rishabh Pant (wk), Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, Dhruv Jurel