This will be Dhoni's first official assignment as a mentor, even though he is highly regarded by his teammates in the state, national and franchise sides as a great motivator and strategist.
"Dhoni will be mentoring Jharkhand in the tournament and is likely to arrive in Chennai on August 10. He will not be playing though," K.S. Viswanathan, the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) secretary, said on Wednesday (August 3).
The announcement on Tuesday that India will be playing two Twenty20 (T20) internationals against the West Indies in the United States at the end of August may have influenced Dhoni's decision to take part in this annual pre-season affair, albeit as a mentor.
The 35-year-old will look to get some valuable practice with the Jharkhand boys and get into the groove of things.Dhoni hasn't played any competitive cricket since captaining an inexperienced Indian team for three One-Day Internationals and Twenty20 Internationals on the tour of Zimbabwe in June.
Dhoni's vast international experience, having played 90 Tests and 278 ODIs, will be of great help for the Jharkhand players over the course of the coming three weeks.
S Badrinath, who has shared the dressing room with Dhoni not just for India but also the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League, felt the wicketkeeper batsman will be a great help for the juniors in the state side.
"Having played the game across all formats for India for such a long time, Dhoni is apt for the role of mentor," he said. "He knows how to remain calm under pressure and how one can raise his game during crunch situations. His experience and knowledge of the game will surely be a big boost for a team that he is mentoring."
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