Ranchi, July 17 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.
On his 12th death anniversary on Thursday, Ranchi remembers the unsung hero who taught this now-legendary shot to Dhoni, his childhood friend.
Though Santosh passed away on July 17, 2013, at the age of just 29, his contribution to Indian cricket has become part of folklore.
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.
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.
In several interviews, Dhoni has acknowledged this unique contribution, saying the shot might never have entered his game without Bunty.
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.
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.
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.
On Thursday, on his death anniversary, fans remembered Santosh on social media with heartfelt messages.
One fan wrote: "You left too soon… but left behind something that made cricket richer. There will never be another like you. Salute."
The helicopter shot went on to become a part of Dhoni’s arsenal -- but in Ranchi, it’s still remembered as Bunty’s shot.
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