Dhoni: Just a lucky guy or the coolest captain?
Is he one of those blessed ones who are born with a winning touch? Or is he just another lucky bloke for whom everything miraculously falls into place?
Ask Mahendra Singh Dhoni and he will, probably, just flash a smile in your direction. Deep in his heart, though, he knows how much work has gone into his nascent success and how many sacrifices he has already made.
The tag, however, surfaced last September, when the Twenty20 captaincy unexpectedly landed in his lap. But then, the rare honour had nothing to do with his luck; it had more to do with the selectors’ foresight and willingness to take a risk.
They were probably emboldened as the Indian team was not expected to do well in the World Cup in South Africa: it had no track record in the abridged format and virtually no Twenty20 specialists either. Tendulkar, Ganguly, Dravid and Zaheer too pulled out as they didn’t see any hope for the team.
Dhoni saw all this as providence, as his chance to raise the flag for the lesser cousins of Indian cricket. He marshalled his resources ingeniously, kept everybody’s spirits high with his “we-don’t-give-a-damn-about-anything” attitude and carried his young gladiators forward.
He showed nerves of gold at critical times; he transformed potential into performance across the ranks; more amazingly, he chose not to turn to the tried and tested even when everything was at stake. It was captaincy at its raw best.
In the final, with Misbah-ul Haq just one step away from becoming our greatest villain yet again, he tossed the ball to Joginder Sharma.
Even the most reckless gambler, who normally doesn’t think twice before putting everything on line, would have balked at that stage.
He simply smiled and asked Joginder to go for it. As Misbah played another comical shot, the team converged into his arms from all corners. There were no ugly victorious gestures from Dhoni, no wild celebrations. Just pure grace.
A few months later, just after India unleashed a tsunami in Australia during the Test series, Dhoni was left holding the washed out pieces. Worse, he chose to look beyond the “seniors”, who had been the cornerstone of the team’s amazing performance till then, for the One-dayers.
Australia were already on song and it seemed like Dhoni’s comeuppance had come. He had already struggled for runs and his chosen ones were not delivering either. But almost incredibly, the Indian team found its feet and voice again and actually won the title in a canter. It was India’s first victory in a Tri-series Down Under.
Dhoni had to step into the captain’s shoes again when Anil Kumble pulled out of the third Test in Ahmedabad.
With South Africa in a rampaging mood, and without Sachin Tendulkar, nobody gave him a chance.
But as soon as the match commenced, it became apparent that the designer track that they had been waiting for was hidden here.
South Africa managed to get off to a good start but India are past masters on such pitches. They simply bamboozled them and won inside three days. Dhoni even joined a very exclusive band of captains who had won a Test on debut.
As the caravan moves into the IPL mould, Dhoni faces his toughest challenge. As captain of Chennai, he will have to take on Tendulkar, Ganguly, Laxman, Dravid, Sehwag and Yuvraj (apart from Warne). He has grown up idolizing almost all of them; can he outwit and outplay them now?
April 16th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
dhoni is an icon who excelled on his own will. very few people know what he went through before reaching this place,
all wins can’t be on sheer luck. luck is always directly proportional to hard work.
hats off to dhoni for being so down to earth even after so much success.
April 25th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
Well,what can one say abt Mahi? The more said,the more there is 2 say. The way he conducts himself after a victory,(no fuss,no jumping about,no gestures,)but one can see the satisfaction ,joy and pride in his face.He looks vulnarable and mature at the same time without trying.His go-get attitude,never-say-die philosophy,dignified behaviour on-field and off-field is something to be seen to be believed. Add to this his extremely rugged and handsome face,good personality and manly phisique. What else can one ask for? Its a joy to watch him.
June 6th, 2008 at 2:15 pm
dhoni is lucky and coolest captain for indian cricket team and he is true captain,lucky,and also enjoyable person
June 24th, 2008 at 1:06 am
Mahi is the luckest & the coolest captain of the world & he is so handsome,cool,good personality and I can’t count the no. of qualities in him.
September 2nd, 2008 at 1:18 pm
even after these sucesses anti dhoni fans are complaining
October 3rd, 2008 at 11:15 pm
Well bout MSD what to say…he is jst perfct.
October 11th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
mahi is an outstandin captain of india!! n d coolest guy in d world of cricket!!india wll dfinetely witness countless victories in his presence.
October 21st, 2008 at 11:10 pm
why dnt u gv ur email address to any1? if u r highly confident f urslf , u should nvr ro dat.rnt u?????????????????????????? wot evr u r my favourite cricketer……………………….. ALL D VRY BST!!!!!!
October 23rd, 2008 at 6:52 pm
hie i wann dis site to b updated evry now n den so dat v can post r comments. i hope my plea wud b considered!!
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:32 pm
i love dhoni bating and kippingggg
iam also a good a rounderr and ia want to add this infff
February 5th, 2009 at 4:40 pm
Mr. MS Dhoni is really de coolest captain in de world… all de best captain.. u simply rock… keep rockin….
February 20th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
i absolutely agree with snehal,although i want more.
March 7th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
you simply rocks mahi(a cool head on a very strong shoulder, a killer instinct and a shy smile what else anyone cud ask for………… you have everything to drive the whole world crazy)……….let us always be proud of you ……… i luv you tkcr
March 15th, 2009 at 7:11 pm
Mahi, u r the coolest & down-to-earth person, I have ever seen and heard of. Ur attitude and ur smile refreshes me, whenever I am tensed on professional front. Looking forward to see in person.
April 15th, 2009 at 9:56 am
mahi, you are the most promising INDIANCRICKETER of this centuary.I respect you on your leadership quality.
July 6th, 2009 at 5:17 pm
hi mahi.how are u.advances happy returns of day.i wish u all success of in your life.i really miss u so much its my hearts.happy birthday mahi.
July 17th, 2009 at 4:30 pm
hey dhoni i am missing u so much when ar you coming to south africa i feel so borad at home i always lyk seeing u playing cricket i am never ever miss 1 cricket match of yours i heared u and the team ar coming to south africa for the campions torfy in september i just cant wait to see u i cannot wait any longer i cant wait for september i am so in a hurry to meet u hope u come out of our room in sandton thats the only way i can meet bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i love u
July 30th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
its not only his luck which is pertaining him as a captain. one good thing about him is that he is a straight forward person dosnt try to blame things on other and he accepts his mistakes even in front of the media.that the real zeal which is needed as an indivisual and in as a good cattain
July 30th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
its not only his luck which is pertaining him as a captain. one good thing about him is that he is a straight forward person dosnt try to blame things on other and he accepts his mistakes even in front of the media.that the real zeal which is needed as an indivisual and in as a good captain.
cricket is a game and not a war
this is what the captain thinks and moves according to the situation.
he dosnt show attitude towards anyof his teammates,moves friendly,gives oppartunities and tries to find out their hidden tallents.
September 10th, 2009 at 11:24 pm
HEY DUDE MS DHONI FINALLY U 2 SOUTH AFRICA CANT WEL S.A HAS ALREADY STARTED ADVERTISING ABOUT THE OFFICAL CAMPIONS TORFY THAT SO COOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WEL I AM COMING TO ONE OF UR MATCHES JUST WANT 2 SAY GOOD LUCK DUDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOPE WE WIN (AS THEY SAY LUCK IS CERTANLY THE KEY TO WIN) SEE U S.A NEXT WEEK. BYE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 15th, 2009 at 7:17 pm
hey hey dude wats up i was watching the match finals of the compact cup and once again we gain victory!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! good going dhoni its good to see so many achievements under your captancy WISH U GOOD LUCK FOR THE CAMPIONS TORFY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! cant wait to see u bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbeeeeeeeeeeyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
November 7th, 2009 at 1:08 am
HEY DUDE HOWWAZT HOWS EVERYTHING DAMN U MADE A CENTURY DUDE WEN U PLAYED AGAINST AUSTRILA GGGGGOOOOOOOODDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!! SAME DHONI IS BACK WEN HE WAS YOUNGER LIFE GOES SO FAST WEN U BUSY WITH OTHERS WHAT CAN WE DO OUR AGE CHANGES EVERY YEAR AND U DONT FEEL THE SAME WAY EVERY YEAR U DIFFERENT WIT OTHER THINGS IN UR LIFE ANYWAYS LOVE U LOTS SO SEE ONE DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
February 24th, 2011 at 10:34 am
Yeah i agree that he is caption of Indian cricket team because of luck but somewhere behind this, there is a hard work of him is hidden. Best of Luck Dhoni!
April 2nd, 2011 at 4:50 pm
hi dhoni ur cool and awesome
April 3rd, 2011 at 2:02 am
Dhoni has become a big name in Indian Cricket. I believe he has stuck to to the basics and these have worked really well in his case.
Well, one should concede that he has undergone lot of struggle and hardwork but at the same time, one can also not deny that he has got luck on his sides. However, i believe it should be his humble and strong basics that help luck to keep favouring him.
April 3rd, 2011 at 11:51 am
dhoni is cool captain and also good team leader for this reason only we won the world cup.its very great to all indians.thank u to indian cricket team
April 3rd, 2011 at 2:03 pm
he is simply a great leader of cricket..he is doing his job perfectly with lot of sincerity and he know how to win in the pressure situations.his smile shows india’s(his)victory.his seriousness shows his hardwork…his commitment shows his job..all good things included in him…..he is the most successfull captain of indan cricket in no big time…
May 25th, 2011 at 4:35 pm
Dhoni is neither the lucky guy nor the cool captain. He is a good manager of his team. He know where and how to use every player. He uses all the potential of every player. He is a great risk taker so success follows him. well done Dhoni. keep going.
July 8th, 2011 at 12:09 pm
mahi happy birth day to you
December 19th, 2011 at 2:16 pm
this is golden time for Indian the capitancy of dhoni. well done dhoni!!!!
December 19th, 2011 at 2:23 pm
leadership is a special talent only few one has it qnd it is difficult to findout that special talenters. But fortunately we found dhoni. so luck is ours!!!!!!!