His spectacular displays have made Indian wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni probably Jharkhand's most eligible bachelor and his family has been flooded with marriage proposals.
Parents of young women began chasing him immediately after Dhoni joined the Indian cricket team. The appeal for the young man ballooned after his sensational knock of 148 runs against Pakistan at Visakhapatnam in April.

 

But his Jaipur knock of 183 not out, including 10 spectacular sixers, against Sri Lanka Oct 31 and his 45 not out in Pune Nov 3 have meant that the proposals have turned into a flood.

 

Click here to see Mahendra Singh Dhoni Photo Gallery

 

"Marriage proposals are raining on us," said Dhoni's sister Jayati with evident pride.

 

But the Dhoni family does not have any plans to marry him off. Even the 24-year-old himself is apparently not ready to settle down yet.

 

"We will think about marriage after three years," Jayati told IANS at their home.

 

And what kind of girl do they have in mind for Dhoni?

 

"We will prefer a good natured girl who can adjust in our family," she said.

 

She added, almost immediately: "There is no girl in Dhoni's life.

 

"For Dhoni, cricket is everything. We too have become celebrities now thanks to his success. Now people ask us to fix appointments with him.

 

"But even we find it hard to arrange appointments with Dhoni as he has no time. I sometimes feel bad for not being able to arrange meetings.

 

The Dhoni family is also receiving scores of letters and greeting cards from fans. Many letters reach the Dhonis even though they do not carry the complete address. A simple "M.S Dhoni, Ranchi" seems enough!

 

His parents are proud of Dhoni.

 

"We had confidence in our son. He is proving that now, and everyone recognises his talent," said Dhoni's father Pan Singh.

 

Pan Singh also wants his son to be inducted in Test matches and his batting order advanced. Dhoni's mother Devki recalled that her son was always on the top in both studies and cricket.

 

"My son always stood first in his class and now he has become a star in the cricketing world," she said.

 

Pan Singh came to Ranchi in the 1970s from Uttaranchal. He joined a government undertaking and retired as a pump operator.

 

Dhoni began his sports career as a football goalkeeper. Later he started playing cricket. In 1999 he was selected for the Ranji Trophy.

 

For his outstanding century against Pakistan, the Jharkhand government awarded him Rs.500,000. It has announced a similar amount and a plot of land for his 183 against Sri Lanka.