MS Dhoni built a career on staying calm in the final over. Now he’s taking that reputation somewhere new. India’s former captain is launching his own esports club, Mahi Clutchers, and it might be one of the clearest signs yet of where sport, gaming and India’s youngest fans are heading.

What happened

On 23 October 2026, Google Play and NODWIN Gaming launched Google Play Arena, a gaming championship built to celebrate India’s mobile gaming community. Registrations are free, and the multi-phase championship will run open qualifiers in the coming weeks before a Grand Finale on 19–20 December 2026. 

The games span almost every genre: Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), Free Fire MAX, Moba Legends: 5v5!, Real Cricket, Chess and EA SPORTS FC Mobile. 

And the headline name is Dhoni’s. He will lead his team, Mahi Clutchers, into the competition as it vies for the title of the country’s best club. Built entirely from the ground up through open qualifiers, the team offers gamers a unique opportunity to compete under his banner. 

Not a celebrity cameo: a talent pathway

The most interesting part isn’t the name on the jersey. It’s how the team is being built.

Most celebrity esports teams sign established pro players. Mahi Clutchers is doing the opposite, building its squad through open qualifiers, where any amateur can earn a place. In our view, that makes it more than a branding exercise. It’s a talent pathway: the gaming equivalent of an open trial, with India’s most trusted sporting name attached.