By capturing the tri nation series in Australia as well as the one day series in Lanka, Mahendra Singh Dhoni has achieved what no former skipper of India had done since independence.
People said he lacked technique of crafting an innings. His state side did not find him fit enough to dawn their colours when he was a youngster. On field he looked unblemished but at the same time somewhat careless while batting. No one gave him a chance at the tp level of the game to succeed the way he has done. Today on completion of an year as the one day captain of India, I present to you my thoughts over the career and persona of this Jharkhand stalwart.
Born and brought up in a small city of Ranchi in Jharkhand, Dhoni tasted success the hard way. With conditions below par at his state association grounds and limited fascilities, Dhoni started of as a simple young cricketer. The fact that he wanted to be a soccer player rather than what e is today, is something not many are aware off. He was a good goalkeeper for his school side and looked good to make a career in the same. But as he grew, his love for cricket increased and he went on to play for the under 19 side. After that, there was no looking back as he played a magnificent series for the India A side in Kenya to catch the eye of the selectors, who after the retirement of Nayan Mongia, were in search for a solid stumper. At that point of time India were clueless abouth the specialist keeper spot. The position was taken randomly by the likes of Ajay Ratra, Deep Dasgupta and Parthiv Patel, to name a few. But none were able to cement his place in he side.
So much was the uncertainty in these keepers’ abilities that the then Indian skipper, Saurav Ganguly, went into the 2003 world cup without a specialist keeper with Dravid doing the honors. In the same year Dhoni emerged as a prolific scorer and a reliable keeper at the first class level. He was drafted in to make his debut in ODI against Bangladesh. Althoug it was not a dream debut by any stretch of imagination, Dhoni did impress with te gloves. Is big chance came during a six match one day series against Pakistan during which at Vizak he came out at No. 3 and blasted 148 in no time to stun the arch rivals. The way he batted was totally unconventional but effective. He showed that day that he can command a place in the squad merely as a batsman. Though India went on to lose the series, they had much to take home in a new wicket keeper batsman sensation, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who played without fear and commanded solidity at the crease with his aggressive stroke play ala Virender Sehwaag.
Since then Dhoni has come up in leaps and bounce. With a 183* against Sri Lanka at Jaipur (The highest individual score by a wicketkeeper in ODI), the Jharkhand champion proved that his 148 against Pakistan was not a fluke. Soon he became a regular member of the test squad and in Pakistan in 2006, with follow – on looming heavily on India, he made a magnificent century and in the company of Irfan Pathan, took India to safety at Faisalabad.
The debacle of the world cup in the Caribbean saw a flutter in the camp with Rahul Dravid made the skipper of both tests and one day internationals. But a few ordinary performances with the bat from The Wall saw him stepping down from the responsibility just before the all important tour of Australia. With no immediate solution at hand, the board made Dhoni skipper of the limited oers side. Before this decision, he had fashioned one of India’s biggest wins in the 20-20 world cup in South Africa, leading the side in a high voltage summit clash against the old enemies Pakistan, Dhoni made some bold decisions to show the sharp cricketing brain he had. It is probably this success that lead selectors to chose him as the one day captain.
Down under, where India have never performed well, specially in the shorter version of the game, Dhoni lead the side remarkably well to script probably the greatest win of all time, equivellent to the heroics of Kapil’s Devills in 1983. Beating Australia in there backyard ws the first for any Subcontinent side in one day format. And if this was not enough, the lanky wicket keeper batsman showed the nerves of steel in clinching a series comprehensively in Sri Lanka, a venue which had till this series was a nemesis for captains from India. During all these big wins, not only did he lead the side well, but with the bat, guided India to safer shores whenever they were in trouble. He moulded his extravagant game to suit the circumstances and conditions, to lead India to a couple of most memorable and unprecedented wins in Australia and the emerald Isles.
So what is it about Dhoni that sets him apart from the likes of Azharuddin, Tendulkar, Ganguly or Dravid. Probably one of his most startling feature is the way he encourages youngsters and takes calculated risks. An example which shows both thesevirtues is the fact that he gave the ball to Joginder Sharma for the all important last over in the final of the 20-20 world cup against Pakistan, een when the likes ofHarbhaja and Pathan had overs left to e bowled. He backed his instincts and Joginder, a 19 year old youngster, who delivered the goods in perhaps the most nerve wracking over of all time. That’s the kind of confidence Dhoni as in this side, and that’s where a captain commands respect. Its not that all his decisions have reaped benefits for the side, but in adversity Mahi is not the one to back away from responsibilities. After the humiliating loss in the first ne day international to Sri Lanka at Dambulla, Dhoni admitted that he was unable oto read the track and made the wrong decision at the toss. It is this admittance of Dhni that sets him way apart from other leaders. He does not shy away from responsibilities and is first o take the blame of a defeat as well as the first to admit his mistakes.
Today, only 27 and already touted as one of the best captains of India, what Dhoni has showed in the past twelve months is reminiscent to what the young India of today is made off. People who are fearless and a belief that they can come over any opposition and circumstances. With the spectacular show of India lead by dhoni over the past year, India no longer are a nation who were once said to be tigers at home and lambs abroad.Here’s hoping that the good show by Mahi’s men continue in th fourthcming season as well, in which I feel he will be crowned with the test captaincy as well.
