Long before it became Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s trademark on the world stage, the iconic helicopter shot was just a street-smart stroke played on dusty grounds in Ranchi -- first perfected by Santosh Lal, fondly known as Bunty.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
On his 12th death anniversary on Thursday, Ranchi remembers the unsung hero who taught this now-legendary shot to Dhoni, his childhood friend.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Though Santosh passed away on July 17, 2013, at the age of just 29, his contribution to Indian cricket has become part of folklore.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
It was Bunty who showed Dhoni how to whip the ball powerfully with a flick of the wrists -- a shot no coaching manual taught, but which would go on to define Dhoni’s trademark style and dazzle cricket fans across the globe.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The story was even captured in the movie 'MS Dhoni: The Untold Story', where the moment of Santosh Lal teaching the helicopter shot to Dhoni is shown with warmth. The fee? A samosa -- a small token for something that would become cricketing gold.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
In several interviews, Dhoni has acknowledged this unique contribution, saying the shot might never have entered his game without Bunty.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Though Santosh never played for India, he carved a name for himself in domestic cricket. A middle-order batsman and medium pacer, he represented Jharkhand in eight first-class matches, 16 List A, and six T20 matches. His last appearance was in March 2010, before illness cut short his career and life.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Chanchal Bhattacharya, coach to both Dhoni and Santosh, recalls their early days with pride. “In those days, both boys were stars in Ranchi’s cricket circuit,” he told IANS.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Santosh first made his mark in tennis-ball cricket, before a stunning 106-run knock in an East Zone inter-university match earned him direct entry into the state Ranji squad.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
On Thursday, on his death anniversary, fans remembered Santosh on social media with heartfelt messages.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Santosh first made his mark in tennis-ball cricket, before a stunning 106-run knock in an East Zone inter-university match earned him direct entry into the state Ranji squad.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The helicopter shot went on to become a part of Dhoni’s arsenal -- but in Ranchi, it’s still remembered as Bunty’s shot.<\/p>\r\n\r\n