On his 12th death anniversary, Ranchi remembers the man who taught MS Dhoni 'iconic helicopter shot'

The helicopter shot, now synonymous with MS Dhoni's batting style, originated on the local grounds of Ranchi, where it was first mastered by Santosh Lal, known as Bunty.

Ranchi paid tribute to this unsung hero on his 12th death anniversary on Thursday, remembering the man who taught this iconic shot to his childhood friend Dhoni.

Santosh Lal passed away on July 17, 2013, at age 29, but his contribution to Indian cricket lives on through this innovative shot.

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Bunty taught Dhoni the technique of powerfully whipping the ball using wrist movement, a shot absent from traditional coaching manuals.

The biographical film "MS Dhoni: The Untold Story" depicted this moment, showing Santosh teaching the shot to Dhoni in exchange for a samosa.

Dhoni has openly credited Bunty in various interviews, stating that this signature shot might not have been part of his repertoire without him.

Santosh had a notable domestic cricket career, despite never playing for India. He played eight first-class matches, 16 List A games, and six T20 matches for Jharkhand, with his final game in March 2010.


"In those days, both boys were stars in Ranchi's cricket circuit," Chanchal Bhattacharya, who coached both players, told IANS.

Santosh initially gained recognition in tennis-ball cricket before earning a direct spot in the state Ranji team after scoring 106 runs in an East Zone inter-university match.

Fans commemorated his death anniversary on social media with messages of remembrance.

"You left too soon… but left behind something that made cricket richer. There will never be another like you. Salute," wrote one fan on social media.

While the helicopter shot became a signature move in Dhoni's international career, in Ranchi it remains known as Bunty's shot.


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