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Dhoni


Dhoni’s numbers as a captain is available on every news site and sports website now. So I will refrain from talking numbers here. But Dhoni the captain deserves a far better farewell than the clouded circumstances under which his exit has been viewed. India was an average cricketing team. It came and went in major tourneys producing a spark here and there since 1983. Sachin Tendulkar was regarded as a miracle to cricket but the sport being a team one showed no mercy on a mediocre team with no fast bowlers or game changers. In every sense a true cricketing fan witnessed more losses than wins during the early ‘90s.
Then came Ganguly and finally India saw what it lacked in a captain so far, a spine. He was a very impulsive captain known for fantastic gut and even more fantastic temper. He was never far away from a retort, an opinion or a smooth cover drive. For the first time then, India saw how different a man who wants to make a difference needs to actually survive in a country where the Board of cricket functions no differently than the Electricity Board. He brought a brand of youth and intrepid that would go on to revamp how cricket was viewed and played in India. Cricket has always been a religion in India but for the first time we saw a team that could actually predictably win.
Ganguly couldn’t be a captain forever. He had to move on and the reins had to be given to someone else. Dravid came as the next choice who never took to captaining. After a bit of grappling the baton was passed on to Dhoni who was still young in a team where Sehwag, Yuvraj and Gambhir debuted earlier than him. You add Harbhajan in this gang and the team had prodigies that were handpicked and developed by Ganguly. Dhoni not only assumed responsibility seamlessly he seemed to bring a rare set of qualities. His stoic on the field persona, his quirky remarks during press conferences, his penchant for finishing matches in style albeit in his own style and pace etc. In many ways he was no different a captain than Ganguly. He was strong both physically and mentally and determinedly maintained an emotional vacuum. Of all the things he did the best was to carry on the upbeat Indian team into something of an invincible team for a while.

Yes, this is where people pounce upon saying Dhoni has a poor record overseas, his technique doesn’t suit test cricket, he lets the game drag, blah blah. Which Indian captain has ever heard a stupendous overseas record? But then we love our criticism and we live too much in the context of now to even begin to remember the disappointment of so many years of India that could barely chase 200 runs given 50 overs. And yes I also know, very well, that Dhoni has just quit test cricket. He is still our whole and soul in the limited overs format. The only point I am trying to emphasize is the treatment of a player who has been stellar for Indian cricket. With the current contingent India will still not be winning any overseas test series unless you are playing in Sri Lanka. The exit of the captain was never the answer and we shall see that point being proven in time. 

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