Team India landed in Ranchi’s Birsa Munda Airport amid much fanfare on Wednesday. While the men in blue pierced through the crowd of frenzied fans and boarded the team bus to Hotel Radisson Blu, local hero Mahendra Singh Dhoni couldn’t resist taking his Hummer H2 for a spin around the city straight from the airport.
Dhoni, an automobile enthusiast, has an elaborate collection of superbikes and expensive cars in his garage. The Hummer H2 is a 3700cc American SUV that the captain cool thoroughly enjoys driving. On Wednesday, Kedar Jadhav occupied the shotgun seat as Dhoni zoomed across the airport road.
Sources said that Dhoni organized dinner for his teammates at his farmhouse at Simaliya off the Ring Road on Wednesday.
Team India goes head on with Australia in the third One Day International (ODI) at Jharkhand State Cricket Association’s International Sports Complex on Friday. Tickets for the match were put on sale from Sunday and the stadium is set to witness a houseful on Friday.
The enthusiasm of cricket lovers had no bounds on Wednesday as they gathered in large numbers outside the airport and Hotel Radisson Blu to get a glimpse of their favourite cricketer.
The hotel administration said that strict security arrangements were made to ensure that the players did not face any inconvenience during their stay.
The entry of outsiders will not be allowed in the hotel until the players leave, sources said.
The team will have its first practice session at the JSCA stadium on Thursday morning.