District-level cricket is where it all begins: MS Dhoni

Chennai Super Kings' stalwart Mahendra Singh Dhoni has stressed that district cricket is the most important things for budding cricketers, which opens the door for them to play state-level cricket and then pitchforks them into national limelight, adding that no player can reach the top level without going through this process. "Initially when I started playing cricket, the want, or the will was to score in that tournament. Why? Because, you could represent your district.

Why do you want to represent your district? So that when you play an inter-district tournament and you do well, you are called for the selection trials for the state," said the skipper of one of the most successful IPL teams, which has won four titles --one less than Mumbai Indians. "I feel that is the urge that all you (young) cricketers need to have, and what is very important is to be proud of the district that you represent, because when we start playing cricket, you want to play for school and do well for the school. But ultimately, you want to get selected for the district team.

From district, you want to do well and get selected for the state. Then you want to compete at the Ranji Trophy level and ultimately you want to represent India," said the stalwart while attending the 25-year celebration of the Thiruvallur District Cricket Association. "We are celebrating the success of a district cricket association.

So a lot of that I will speak is also to thank my district cricket association back home. When we talk about the grassroots level of cricket, what you really need is cricket from where it starts, and where it is governed. "I always felt grassroots cricket was school-level cricket because it is a place where you want students to play all the