Captain, wicketkeeper and batsman, Mahendra Singh Dhoni wears many hats for India - but none more expertly than competitor.
That is the key to his play.
Whether he is directing his players, attacking bowlers, or throwing himself around behind the stumps, Dhoni has almost perfected the art of coming out on top in a crunch.
Dhoni's cloak of invincibility has long outgrown the sum of his talents, for they are limited.
Take his wicketkeeping for instance.
It was not until he was well entrenched in the Indian team, two years after he made his debut, that his work behind the stumps was deemed tidy.
His batting, while effective, has been unconventional and ungainly, bettered by several others - some many years his junior - in the team he commands.
His one-day debut was a marked failure - run out for a duck against lowly Bangladesh in Chittagong.
Yet, only four years after he first appeared on the international scene as a 23-year-old with flowing mane, Dhoni has accomplished what many more illustrious names in the game have not.
Dhoni's first brush with stardom came in the summer of 2005 when he slammed 148 off just 123 deliveries against Pakistan in a one-day international at Vishakapatnam.
It was only the fifth appearance of the youngster from the remote and backward north Indian state of Jharkhand.
Pakistan were to become his favourite opponents. He scored his first Test century against them in December 2005 and in the one-day series that followed, he played a role of greater significance.
India scored an unprecedented 4-1 series win with Dhoni's contribution with the bat having a direct bearing on the results.
Dhoni soon rocketed to the top of the ICC ODI rankings but his crowning glory was still to come.
India's famed trio of captains, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly had opted out of the World Twenty20 in South Africa and Dhoni was unexpectedly charged with leading a bunch of fringe
The decision was to change forever the skyline of Indian cricket.
The triumph in South Africa was pretty much a new beginning.
Dhoni's unruffled demeanour, his ability to lead from the front and forge a bunch of apparent no-hopers into a fighting unit caught the imagination of a nation and its panel of selectors.
When Dravid relinquished his hold on the one-day captaincy, Dhoni was his natural successor.
Three years on from Chittagong Dhoni had reached the pinnacle of Indian sport. The progression was complete.
For a player with absolutely no prior experience of leading a team, Dhoni's ability to articulate, assign and inspire has been remarkable.
No obstacle has been insurmountable, no mountain too high to climb and he has enjoyed some notable successes.
The triangular CB Series victory in Australia this year was a significant achievement. India had never before won a series against the world champions in their own backyard but Dhoni made it possible.
Another series win in Sri Lanka against a rampaging Ajantha Mendis only served to enhance his reputation.
In between were strong performances in the Asia Cup, the triangular series in Bangladesh which he narrowly lost, and the Indian Premier League, where he led a depleted Chennai Super Kings team to the final.
"The World Twenty20 win was the starting point - not from the victory point of view but the way we performed, the way we enjoyed each other's success," Dhoni said.
"Everybody was coming up with ideas, everybody wanted to win every game. That was the turning point. That's what is needed."
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Dhoni has balanced head, sharp mind: Tendulkar
New Delhi, Oct 29 (IANS) Indian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar says Mahendra Singh Dhoni is “very good” as captain and has a “sharp mind”.Dhoni is “very good…he got a balanced head on and off the field and I think he has got a sharp mind. His situational awareness is very good and that (is) the quality that I noticed quite early in him”, Tendulkar told NDTV in an interview, to be telecast Friday.
Asked about his reported suggestion of Dhoni’s name when Rahul Dravid stepped down from captaincy, he said: “I have never talked on this publicly. I conveyed to the (board) president Mr (Sharad) Pawar at that time and also to (then selectors’ panel chief) Dilip Vengsarkar. We had a meeting and whatever I had I spoke to him. I don’t believe in talking about certain things publicly.”
On his own stint as captain and if it affected his game, the little master said: “It was media who projected it wrongly and if you go back and see my record as a captain I was averaging 51.”
Commenting on his long-time teammate Sourav Ganguly’s announcement of retirement, Tendulkar said: “I was little bit surprised but you know as I said earlier, the individual knows exactly when to move away from the game and I don’t know exactly what’s going on in his mind, what he thinks of his future.”
“I allowed him to settle down a bit and I am sure it must have taken him a long time to reach that. And it’s a big decision. It is a difficult decision. If he feels that this the way to go, then we all should respect (it).”
Remarking on Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist’s allegations, he said: “I did not know how to react to that because I couldn’t have imagined this in my wildest dream because I love this sport…”
“I consider them loose statements. I think I am the kind of person who’ll leave things behind and move forward… Because he had found out that Harbhajan and I were not traceable to shake hands… I just reminded him that I was the first one to shake hands after the Sydney match.”
Asked about his reported suggestion of Dhoni’s name when Rahul Dravid stepped down from captaincy, he said: “I have never talked on this publicly. I conveyed to the (board) president Mr (Sharad) Pawar at that time and also to (then selectors’ panel chief) Dilip Vengsarkar. We had a meeting and whatever I had I spoke to him. I don’t believe in talking about certain things publicly.”
On his own stint as captain and if it affected his game, the little master said: “It was media who projected it wrongly and if you go back and see my record as a captain I was averaging 51.”
Commenting on his long-time teammate Sourav Ganguly’s announcement of retirement, Tendulkar said: “I was little bit surprised but you know as I said earlier, the individual knows exactly when to move away from the game and I don’t know exactly what’s going on in his mind, what he thinks of his future.”
“I allowed him to settle down a bit and I am sure it must have taken him a long time to reach that. And it’s a big decision. It is a difficult decision. If he feels that this the way to go, then we all should respect (it).”
Remarking on Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist’s allegations, he said: “I did not know how to react to that because I couldn’t have imagined this in my wildest dream because I love this sport…”
“I consider them loose statements. I think I am the kind of person who’ll leave things behind and move forward… Because he had found out that Harbhajan and I were not traceable to shake hands… I just reminded him that I was the first one to shake hands after the Sydney match.”
Dhoni looks the part - Suresh Menon column
You only have to imagine Vizzy carrying C K Nayudu on his shoulders around a cricket stadiumor Ajit Wadekar carrying Tiger Pataudi or Sunil Gavaskar carrying Bishan Bedi or Sourav Ganguly carrying Rahul Dravid to realise what an incredible sight it was to see Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the captain-designate giving a lift to Anil Kumble, the man he takes over from. If no man is a hero to his valet, no Indian captain has been a hero to his successor, and this unique tribute was testimony both to Kumble's place in the team and the new captain's youthful spontaneity. It also provided a clue to the change in the offing - from an undemonstrative, studious captain to one who wears his heart on his sleeve and is a complete natural.
A cricket team tends to reflect the personality of the captain. Kumble came into the job late and led in only 14 Tests, but he injected a large dose of toughness into the side, especially in Australia during the last series where the team rose as one to take on the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. Sourav Ganguly's India was self-confident and bristling with self-belief, much like the captain himself.
Dhoni has already given us a peep into the next chapter with his marshalling of resources in the three different forms of the game. At 27, he is at the peak of his powers as a player; his contribution to India's victory at Mohali was crucial, his two fifties and the manner he made them leaving no one in any doubt who the boss was. He has that one quality without which no captain should even contemplate the job - luck. He goes with his instinct, and more often than not he succeeds. Reminded how he got Amit Misra to go round the wicket to dismiss Michael Clark in the last over of the day, he responded, "It was a fluke, my friend." I cannot think of another captain who would have responded thus. You have to be very secure in who you are to make a crack like that; most captains would have flicked an imaginary speck of dust off the sleeve while trying to look modest.
Kumble played one Test more than Kapil Dev, India's second highest wicket taker but claimed 185 wickets more. That statistic alone puts his contribution in perspective. Kumble was a presence. His contribution in the dressing room to a slew of Indian captains was vital. As younger and younger men took over as captain, Kumble played the grey eminence to perfection, a pillar of strength to the Indian team going through generational changes.
Among recent captains, Dhoni has the least home work to do, thanks to Kumble. Both seniors and juniors respond to him spontaneously. Those who might have a grouse for being passed over - Virender Sehwag and Harbhajan Singh, for instance - know that he is too well established to be rocked easily. In short, he does not have the kind of problems that most incoming Indian captains do. This is partly due to the work of his immediate predecessors Kumble and Rahul Dravid, and partly due to his own personality and record. In Mohali, he showed how capable he is of raising the spirit of the Indian team especially in the field. No one could afford to relax. The fielding in Delhi was atrocious, so that will be Dhoni's first priority - he can start with a special session with Ishant Sharma.
The seamless takeover is unusual in Indian cricket. It has softened the blow of losing a captain in the middle of a series. Ever since he took over, Dhoni has looked the part. Now he finally gets to be captain both on and off the field. He started right, by demonstrating that rare mixture of love and admiration for his predecessor.
A cricket team tends to reflect the personality of the captain. Kumble came into the job late and led in only 14 Tests, but he injected a large dose of toughness into the side, especially in Australia during the last series where the team rose as one to take on the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. Sourav Ganguly's India was self-confident and bristling with self-belief, much like the captain himself.
Dhoni has already given us a peep into the next chapter with his marshalling of resources in the three different forms of the game. At 27, he is at the peak of his powers as a player; his contribution to India's victory at Mohali was crucial, his two fifties and the manner he made them leaving no one in any doubt who the boss was. He has that one quality without which no captain should even contemplate the job - luck. He goes with his instinct, and more often than not he succeeds. Reminded how he got Amit Misra to go round the wicket to dismiss Michael Clark in the last over of the day, he responded, "It was a fluke, my friend." I cannot think of another captain who would have responded thus. You have to be very secure in who you are to make a crack like that; most captains would have flicked an imaginary speck of dust off the sleeve while trying to look modest.
Kumble played one Test more than Kapil Dev, India's second highest wicket taker but claimed 185 wickets more. That statistic alone puts his contribution in perspective. Kumble was a presence. His contribution in the dressing room to a slew of Indian captains was vital. As younger and younger men took over as captain, Kumble played the grey eminence to perfection, a pillar of strength to the Indian team going through generational changes.
Among recent captains, Dhoni has the least home work to do, thanks to Kumble. Both seniors and juniors respond to him spontaneously. Those who might have a grouse for being passed over - Virender Sehwag and Harbhajan Singh, for instance - know that he is too well established to be rocked easily. In short, he does not have the kind of problems that most incoming Indian captains do. This is partly due to the work of his immediate predecessors Kumble and Rahul Dravid, and partly due to his own personality and record. In Mohali, he showed how capable he is of raising the spirit of the Indian team especially in the field. No one could afford to relax. The fielding in Delhi was atrocious, so that will be Dhoni's first priority - he can start with a special session with Ishant Sharma.
The seamless takeover is unusual in Indian cricket. It has softened the blow of losing a captain in the middle of a series. Ever since he took over, Dhoni has looked the part. Now he finally gets to be captain both on and off the field. He started right, by demonstrating that rare mixture of love and admiration for his predecessor.
Dhoni leads from the front
Any conversation on cricket and the art of captaincy invariably steers towards the charismatic Pakistani Imran Khan and the outspoken Aussie Ian Chappell.
The irresistible Pathan shaped a talented but underperforming, and frequently feuding lot into one of the most formidable units in world cricket, which won the 1992 World Cup against all odds.
“Chappelli” is recognised as the one of the greatest captains the game has seen.
The term “ugly Australians” took birth under his reign, and the famous England captain Mike Brearley was forced to state that “playing against a team with Ian Chappell as a captain turns a cricket match into gang warfare”.
To get an endorsement from these two would be a like a throne on Mount Olympus, and the India captain Mahendra Dhoni has managed just that. “I like the look of Dhoni as captain,” said Chappell, who has described Steve Waugh as “selfish” and a captain who “ran out of ideas quickly”.
“Dhoni is the sort of cricketer that guys play for. Part of the job of the captain is to make the cricket interesting for his players and that’s what he does.”
Imran, who captained Pakistan to the 1992 World Cup at the age of 39, subscribes to the same view.
“Dhoni, I believe, has all the attributes of becoming an outstanding captain,” said the “King of Swing”, who is now one of Pakistan’s leading politicians.
“After a very long time, I have seen a captain from the subcontinent who has the [Australian captain] Ricky Ponting type of approach. He clearly gives 100 per cent.
“You learn the tactical side of the game as you go on, but the basics – courage, leading from the front and taking the pressure – he has those qualities in abundance.”
Chappell’s self-described philosophy as Australian captain “was simple: between 11.00am and 6.00pm there was no time to be a nice guy”, and the Indians seem to be following that principle in the ongoing series against Australia.
But to the Aussie great, the hosts have been two different sides under Dhoni and Anil Kumble. Dhoni led India to one of their biggest wins at Mohali when Anil Kumble sat out due to injury, but the difference was apparent in the first Test to Chappell.
“Probably the worst thing that happened to Kumble as far as captaincy was concerned, was the couple of hours he spent off the field in Bangalore,” says Chappell.
“Dhoni took over and it was two different teams. The Indian side for two hours under Dhoni and then when Kumble came back on the field, looked like two different teams.
“If you go back and look at the video tapes of the Mohali Test match, every time you saw a shot of Virender Sehwag, he [Dhoni] had a grin from ear to ear. Sehwag is an attacking cricketer and to have an attacking captain there is right up his alley. He looked to me like a guy who was enjoying every minute of that game."
http://www.thenational.ae/article/20081104/SPORT/698164393/-1/NEWS
The irresistible Pathan shaped a talented but underperforming, and frequently feuding lot into one of the most formidable units in world cricket, which won the 1992 World Cup against all odds.
“Chappelli” is recognised as the one of the greatest captains the game has seen.
The term “ugly Australians” took birth under his reign, and the famous England captain Mike Brearley was forced to state that “playing against a team with Ian Chappell as a captain turns a cricket match into gang warfare”.
To get an endorsement from these two would be a like a throne on Mount Olympus, and the India captain Mahendra Dhoni has managed just that. “I like the look of Dhoni as captain,” said Chappell, who has described Steve Waugh as “selfish” and a captain who “ran out of ideas quickly”.
“Dhoni is the sort of cricketer that guys play for. Part of the job of the captain is to make the cricket interesting for his players and that’s what he does.”
Imran, who captained Pakistan to the 1992 World Cup at the age of 39, subscribes to the same view.
“Dhoni, I believe, has all the attributes of becoming an outstanding captain,” said the “King of Swing”, who is now one of Pakistan’s leading politicians.
“After a very long time, I have seen a captain from the subcontinent who has the [Australian captain] Ricky Ponting type of approach. He clearly gives 100 per cent.
“You learn the tactical side of the game as you go on, but the basics – courage, leading from the front and taking the pressure – he has those qualities in abundance.”
Chappell’s self-described philosophy as Australian captain “was simple: between 11.00am and 6.00pm there was no time to be a nice guy”, and the Indians seem to be following that principle in the ongoing series against Australia.
But to the Aussie great, the hosts have been two different sides under Dhoni and Anil Kumble. Dhoni led India to one of their biggest wins at Mohali when Anil Kumble sat out due to injury, but the difference was apparent in the first Test to Chappell.
“Probably the worst thing that happened to Kumble as far as captaincy was concerned, was the couple of hours he spent off the field in Bangalore,” says Chappell.
“Dhoni took over and it was two different teams. The Indian side for two hours under Dhoni and then when Kumble came back on the field, looked like two different teams.
“If you go back and look at the video tapes of the Mohali Test match, every time you saw a shot of Virender Sehwag, he [Dhoni] had a grin from ear to ear. Sehwag is an attacking cricketer and to have an attacking captain there is right up his alley. He looked to me like a guy who was enjoying every minute of that game."
http://www.thenational.ae/article/20081104/SPORT/698164393/-1/NEWS
A captain is as good as his team
Nagpur: Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who is just hours away from leading India in his first Test as full-fledged captain, spoke to The Telegraph at the Pride Hotel on Tuesday evening
Q. Your first Test as the full-fledged captain will be the last of the captain, Sourav Ganguly, under whom you made your India debut (December 2004). Your thoughts on this?
A (Grins) I couldn’t have dreamt that I’d be the captain within four years... I would’ve laughed had somebody said so then... I’ve had a good journey and it has been an absolute honour to share the dressing room with great players, Sourav being one of them... I’ve been privileged, but those making their debut now will be missing the experience of having been in the same dressing room as Anil Kumble and Sourav
How did you find Sourav as captain?
Look, I didn’t study his captaincy thinking I’d myself be the captain one day... Sourav’s a great thinker and, obviously, that came through when he was the captain... Even now, he can reel off stats about players and how matches have gone at particular venues... What’s happened to teams winning the toss... It’s remarkable... As captain, he wasn’t shy of trying something new and was flexible with strategy... Sourav has quite a few qualities and I’d say it has been a pleasure playing with him. (Adds laughing) His only problem as captain, I guess, was with the over-rates!
What similarities do you find between Sourav’s captaincy and your own style?
Aggression definitely is one... Like Sourav, I’m flexible with plans for the opposition batters... I don’t believe in being rigid with something only because it has been worked upon in the dressing room. Flexibility has to be the name of the game.
Your take on Sourav’s legacy?
Let me tell you it will be tough for the coming generation to achieve what Sourav and the others have consistently achieved over so many years... That they’re legends says everything... The seniors have been such fine role models, each one of them.
Are you disappointed that you got the blame when Sourav got dropped from ODIs earlier this year?
As your question concerns selection, I wouldn’t like to say anything... I wouldn’t like to get into territory where I shouldn’t be going... Moreover, almost a year has gone, so why rake it up?
As captain, you too are aggressive, but rather restrained if a comparison is to be made with Sourav...
I’m not over-expressive... So, in a way, I’m different, but the agenda is the same: To win... A captain has to get the best out of his team, that’s important, not so much the method he uses.
Do you also believe that a captain is as good as his team?
Yes... 100 per cent... One keeps hearing X or Y is a good captain, but that’s because X or Y has had a good team at his disposal.
What will you be telling yourself when you go for the toss, on Thursday morning?
(Laughs) Probably nothing! If I do say anything, it could be that I should win the toss...
How would you describe your style of captaincy?
Oh, that’s a real tough one... What I want, of course, is 100 per cent commitment... Winning is important, but I’m not driven by results alone... I accept that, at times, one could get outplayed... That’s part of the game... It’s the commitment bit which, for me, is very important. I’d never compromise on that.
Captaincy doesn’t end with the end of the day’s play...
(Interrupting) I don’t like being the captain when, for example, the team is back at the hotel... In that respect, then, I wouldn’t say I’m the captain off the field as well... I wouldn’t like the players to see me that way either... A captain has responsibilities, but that doesn’t mean I’ve got to be the captain at all times... However, it’s not that I’m not available to guide others and am always concerned about their well being. (After a pause) Win or lose, I wouldn’t like the atmosphere in the dressing room to change too much.
The final one: The Test here will be Sourav’s last and VVS Laxman’s 100th... Then, Harbhajan Singh is on the threshold of 300 Test wickets... Could all that be a distraction?
No... I’d like to look at the positives... That Laxman has the experience of 99 Tests... That Harbhajan has already taken 299 wickets... That Sourav would be looking to bow out on a high... Clearly, there are many positives. I’m not worried
Q. Your first Test as the full-fledged captain will be the last of the captain, Sourav Ganguly, under whom you made your India debut (December 2004). Your thoughts on this?
A (Grins) I couldn’t have dreamt that I’d be the captain within four years... I would’ve laughed had somebody said so then... I’ve had a good journey and it has been an absolute honour to share the dressing room with great players, Sourav being one of them... I’ve been privileged, but those making their debut now will be missing the experience of having been in the same dressing room as Anil Kumble and Sourav
How did you find Sourav as captain?
Look, I didn’t study his captaincy thinking I’d myself be the captain one day... Sourav’s a great thinker and, obviously, that came through when he was the captain... Even now, he can reel off stats about players and how matches have gone at particular venues... What’s happened to teams winning the toss... It’s remarkable... As captain, he wasn’t shy of trying something new and was flexible with strategy... Sourav has quite a few qualities and I’d say it has been a pleasure playing with him. (Adds laughing) His only problem as captain, I guess, was with the over-rates!
What similarities do you find between Sourav’s captaincy and your own style?
Aggression definitely is one... Like Sourav, I’m flexible with plans for the opposition batters... I don’t believe in being rigid with something only because it has been worked upon in the dressing room. Flexibility has to be the name of the game.
Your take on Sourav’s legacy?
Let me tell you it will be tough for the coming generation to achieve what Sourav and the others have consistently achieved over so many years... That they’re legends says everything... The seniors have been such fine role models, each one of them.
Are you disappointed that you got the blame when Sourav got dropped from ODIs earlier this year?
As your question concerns selection, I wouldn’t like to say anything... I wouldn’t like to get into territory where I shouldn’t be going... Moreover, almost a year has gone, so why rake it up?
As captain, you too are aggressive, but rather restrained if a comparison is to be made with Sourav...
I’m not over-expressive... So, in a way, I’m different, but the agenda is the same: To win... A captain has to get the best out of his team, that’s important, not so much the method he uses.
Do you also believe that a captain is as good as his team?
Yes... 100 per cent... One keeps hearing X or Y is a good captain, but that’s because X or Y has had a good team at his disposal.
What will you be telling yourself when you go for the toss, on Thursday morning?
(Laughs) Probably nothing! If I do say anything, it could be that I should win the toss...
How would you describe your style of captaincy?
Oh, that’s a real tough one... What I want, of course, is 100 per cent commitment... Winning is important, but I’m not driven by results alone... I accept that, at times, one could get outplayed... That’s part of the game... It’s the commitment bit which, for me, is very important. I’d never compromise on that.
Captaincy doesn’t end with the end of the day’s play...
(Interrupting) I don’t like being the captain when, for example, the team is back at the hotel... In that respect, then, I wouldn’t say I’m the captain off the field as well... I wouldn’t like the players to see me that way either... A captain has responsibilities, but that doesn’t mean I’ve got to be the captain at all times... However, it’s not that I’m not available to guide others and am always concerned about their well being. (After a pause) Win or lose, I wouldn’t like the atmosphere in the dressing room to change too much.
The final one: The Test here will be Sourav’s last and VVS Laxman’s 100th... Then, Harbhajan Singh is on the threshold of 300 Test wickets... Could all that be a distraction?
No... I’d like to look at the positives... That Laxman has the experience of 99 Tests... That Harbhajan has already taken 299 wickets... That Sourav would be looking to bow out on a high... Clearly, there are many positives. I’m not worried
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