Under Dhoni, India won the tri-series in Australia and also the Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa. In case Dhoni manages to win the award, he would be the second cricketer to get the honor, following Sachin Tendulkar, who won it in 1997-98.

The Jharkhand Police have deployed these special guards in view of the hysterical reactions with which female fans have greeted Dhoni in recent months. In Kolkata one female fan broke through the security and hugged the Indian ODI captain. To avoid any more embarrassment for Dhoni these female constables will accompany Dhoni where ever he goes including his college in Ranchi.

“Dhoni’s decision to rest is a brave decision indeed. Not many players would risk the possibility of the replacement cementing a permanent place in the team while they are away and it speaks volumes of Dhoni’s self-confidence that he has opted out. Having said, it takes a man of real conviction that he is no good if he is mentally and physically unable to give off his hundred per cent to the team,” he adds.

Giving his own example in the late 1970s and of another Indian skipper Tiger Pataudi, when the Nawab was not very popular after skipping the 1971 twin tour to the West Indies and England, the change was a welcome one from the powers that be.

“Pataudi not making himself available for the tours of the West Indies and England in 1971 did not top the popularity list of decisions though a section of the media supported him because they thought he was unfairly removed as captain of the team and Ajit Wadekar was elevated to lead the national team,” he wrote.

“Even in the late 1970, where India virtually played Test cricket non-stop from September 1978, starting with a series against Pakistan after 18 years, followed by the home series against the West Indies (six Tests) and another long tour to England after resting for a month, which also included the 1979 World Cup, and six Test matches against Australia, followed by Pakistan’s tour of India (another six Tests) and the Golden Jubilee Test against England, India was to fly to the West Indies for a five-match Test series,” he explained.

“The Indian team knew the Pakistan series was going to drain them physically and mentally so wanted the tour to the West Indies postponed by a week or so to be able to recharge their batteries to take on the world champions but the request was denied by the board and I refused to be part of the touring side.

“There was a huge furore and plenty of criticism including from guys who were defending Pataudi’s pull-out a few years ago before the West Indies board themselves cancelled the 1980 tour after Kapil Dev also pulled out with a knee injury,” he wrote.

“The reaction to Dhoni’s decision looks a lot more mature. They seem to have appreciated Dhoni’s honesty in not playing on if he was mentally and physically tired,” he added.

“He [Dhoni] hasn’t informed us about sitting out of the Test series. If he wants to sit out, he is free to do so,” Niranjan Shah, the BCCI secretary, said.

Midway through the recent Asia Cup in Pakistan recently, Dhoni spoke about fatigue as a result of back-to-back-matches. On Monday, he welcomed Shah’s statement: “The board has done a good thing by saying that if someone needs rest, he can opt out.”

This is not the first time Dhoni has considered opting out of a tour. In private, he has complained about exhaustion after India’s triumph in the CB Series in Australia earlier this year. Despite recovering from a finger injury, he kept the suspense hanging over his availability before the Tests against South Africa, before going on to play the entire series. Since the rigorous IPL campaign with the Chennai Super Kings, Dhoni has played non-stop, leading the side during the Kitply Cup as well as the Asia Cup.

India’s coach Gary Kirsten, writing on his website, expressed concern about packed schedules and how important it was for key players like Dhoni to take a break. If Dhoni does request a break, Dinesh Karthik, who was last part of the Indian squad for the Australian tour, is strongly favoured to be the replacement ahead of Parthiv Patel.

The BCCI is yet to decide on the actual strength of the squad due to fitness concerns from the fast bowlers. “We will only decide tomorrow,” Shah said when asked if it will be a 15- or a 16-member squad.

What is certain, though, is the return of experience to the squad in the form of Anil Kumble, Sachin Tendulkar and Zaheer Khan. Kumble had to sit out of the last Test India played, against South Africa in Kanpur, while Tendulkar, who had opted out mid-way through the same series due to a groin injury, will submit a fitness certificate tomorrow. Zaheer has not played since his heel injury resurfaced after the first Test against Australia last year.

A big loss is the unavailability of Sreesanth, who has been advised a few more weeks’ rest. That, and the below-par performances of RP Singh and Irfan Pathan, is the chief reason behind the selectors being hard-pressed to include Zaheer. Pathan is likely to get the axe due to his fitness. He failed to report his side strain to the selectors ahead of the Asia Cup, and missed the initial games and his bowling form since his return has been ordinary.

Among the slow bowlers, Harbhajan Singh is expected to return to the squad as the second spinner, having served the five-match ban imposed on him for slapping Sreesanth during an IPL game. If the selectors opt for a third spinner, the left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha, who made his ODI debut in the Asia Cup, is the frontrunner. “He qualified for the national team based on the long spells he’s bowled on the domestic circuit and he brings variety,” a national selector said about Ojha.

At the top of the order, Gautam Gambhir’s solid performances in the one-dayers and the IPL might force the selectors to consider him ahead of Wasim Jaffer, who has looked scratchy in the last couple of series (in Australia, he made 49 runs in three Tests, while he only managed 126 runs in as many matches against South Africa).

In addition to the squad for the Sri Lanka Tests, the selectors will also pick a pool of 30 probables for the Champions Trophy in September in Pakistan.

Dhoni, who reigned the one-day rankings for just a week in April 2006, is now only 19 points behind the South African captain Graeme Smith, who continues to lead the rankings for batsmen.

Dhoni made 327 runs in the tournament and was dismissed just twice in five innings with a strike-rate of 91. As a result, he has moved two rungs up in the ladder, displacing Sachin Tendulkar from the second position. Tendulkar, who missed the tournament because of a groin injury, has dropped four places to number six in the list.

Australian skipper Ricky Ponting, who jointly shared the fourth spot with Dhoni and compatriot Michael Hussey last week, has climbed to the third position.

There is a new name at the top of the bowling list with Australia’s Nathan Bracken taking over the number one position from Daniel Vettori of New Zealand.

Bracken’s rise to number one in the bowler’s rankings comes because of an impressive series against the West Indies where he was the joint-leading wicket-taker with left-armer Mitchell Johnson with eight wickets in five matches.

Sri Lanka’s spin wizard’s Muttiah Muralitharan’s 11-wicket haul has seen him rise seven slots to seventh.

In all-rounders rankings, Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik remains at the top but a quiet Asia Cup for Shahid Afridi sees him drop two places to fourth and that means Jacob Oram and Jacques Kallis both move up one position and within touching distance of the first place.

Australia remains strong as the top team in the one-day ratings. Following their whitewash of the West Indies in their own backyard, the World Champions have moved two rating points clear of its nearest rival, South Africa. New Zealand are third followed by India, two points behind.

Several fans assembled at a busy market place under an overcast sky and laid out the cake with a photograph of Dhoni in the background.

Seeking to forget India’s 100-run defeat in the Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka last night, the fans expressed hopes that it was just a matter of time before Team India would bounce back under its charismatic captain.

“Losing and winning are part and parcel of any game. Besides, we won the Twenty20 World Cup under him,” said Sanat, a Dhoni fan.

“No doubt, a win would have added more grandeur to the day, but the day is no less important,” said Chanchal Bhattacharya, who coached Dhoni at his formative age.

He said several fans had initially planned a grand celebration when the Lankans were reduced to 273 last night, little realising Ajantha Mendis’ six-wicket haul would spoil it all.

Bhattacharya said Dhoni could be in the town on Tuesday or day after.

Extending his greetings to the birthday boy, Chief Minister Madhu Koda wished the cricketer all success.

Dhoni’s parents went to Deouri Temple, about 45 km from here to offer puja on the occasion.

Chasing 316, India fumbled and faltered, losing wickets at regular intervals. Dhoni sent Raina (24) at number six and though the left-hander got the start, he could not carry on.

Finally when Dhoni came to bat, he was soon running out of partners and with the run rate skyrocketing, the India captain had no option but to take risks and he was the last man out as India fell 25-run shy of Pakistan’s total.

“In hindsight, promoting Raina was a mistake because I came late and was running out of partners,” Dhoni rued after the match.

“That decision was a mistake but it happens in cricket and you learn from mistakes,” he said.

According to Dhoni, a decent start and some lengthy partnership could have made the difference tonight.

“We did not start well and then did not have enough partnerships either. Losing too many wickets was the killer. We got runs at a decent rate but losing wickets at regular intervals cost us the game,” Dhoni rued

With the view of saving ammunition for the sprint towards the target in the final overs, Dhoni held himself back and sent in Suresh Raina at No. 6, a move he later admitted was a “mistake”. Raina composed a steady 24 but got out when the partnership of 73 with Yuvraj Singh was beginning to flourish.

“I made a mistake,” Dhoni said. “I should have come before Raina. That decision was taken in a positive frame of mind. If Yuvraj had played through, and Raina rotated the strike with singles, we would have been very comfortable at the end of the 40th over. With me and Irfan [Pathan] coming later it would have been an easy target.”

The damage to India’s chances, however, had been inflicted in the first half of the innings, when their middle order was unable to forge significant partnerships after Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir failed to provide an explosive start for the first time in the tournament. Poor shot selection accounted for a few; at last the IPL hangover was evident.

Rohit Sharma, coming in at the fall of Sehwag’s wicket in the second over, began a counterattacking partnership with Gambhir. They had taken India to 67 in the 11th over when Rohit played a soft short-arm jab to deep backward square-leg and let the momentum slip away. It was the tale of India’s innings: each of the middle-order batsmen got starts but failed to carry on. After scoring 40, Gambhir cut to the man on the deep-point boundary, Yusuf Pathan - promoted to No. 4 to cash in on the fielding restrictions - drove straight to midwicket, and Raina hit possibly the worst legal delivery of the match - a leg-stump full toss - to deep square leg. India had three partnerships of above 50, but the best was only 73.

“It was very important to see through to the last five or seven overs with wickets in hand,” Dhoni said. “It was a flat wicket. Even a target of 300 was chaseable if you had wickets in hand at the end. We didn’t get a very good start and kept losing wickets at regular intervals.

“At times you have to take a risk but [today], more often than not, the shots went straight to the fielder, who didn’t have to move. The selection of shots wasn’t really appropriate but at the same time you have to play shots while chasing over six an over. So we kept losing wickets even though we were scoring and we never had the momentum with us.”

India’s approach was in complete contrast to the clinical manner in which Pakistan had compiled 315. Their top-order batsmen, Salman Butt and Younis Khan, unmindful of the pedestrian run-rate during the Powerplays, took their time before launching into a methodical assault against India’s weaker bowlers. They didn’t give it away once they were set and added 205 runs for the second wicket. As a result Pakistan had eight wickets in had during the final overs. It made all the difference.

His inimitable coiffure became a cynosure of world leaders. Every inch of his tresses made front page news. He stood by his selected few and brought world to his feet. He gave the small town cricketers a chance to move forward.

He led with the ebullience of King Leonidas of Sparta. Call him the man in love with mean machines. Mahendra Singh Dhoni is by all means the new cricketing blockbuster.

Everyone knows where cricket in India was headed after the Men in Blue stumbled upon the Caribbean hurdle. Indian cricket had hit its lowest point. The coach refused to prolong his stint.

Rahul Dravid tendered his resignation on personal grounds. Tendulkar was offered the captaincy, but he rejected it. No one was ready to take on the gauntlet. The man of the moment or call it a guinea pig then was to be Dhoni, who by default got his hands on the hot seat as he was elevated to vice-captaincy just before the English and Irish tour.

Apparently, it was Sachin who recommended Dhoni’s name. But none other than Dhoni deserved this post for the way he has come up the ranks. His strong rooting to reality and a humble background pushed his case above the glamorous but out-of-form then Yuvraj Singh.

With no godfather, Dhoni’s throne is purely built on raw talent and his ability to treat the game like a game and not a religion. You can call this a stroke of luck that he got the job of a deputy skipper for ODI’s for the first time and was elevated to leader of the pack in no time at all.

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?