5 cricketers who said MS Dhoni was the best captain they played under ft. Sachin Tendulkar
One of the greatest white ball captains ever, MS Dhoni is an undisputed hero of Indian cricket. He remains the only captain to win three different ICC titles — the 2007 T20 World Cup, 2011 ODI World Cup, and 2013 Champions Trophy.
Dhoni was handed the charge of a young Indian team ahead of the 2007 T20 World Cup, and the rest is history. He became one of the most astute brains in world cricket and is still revered by current and former players and fans. He was known for staying calm and composed under immense pressure, making him one of the most successful captains.
Over the years, several Indian and overseas cricketers have praised Dhoni, who rewrote history. Barring his success at the international level, the now-43-year-old has been an integral member of the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Under his captaincy, the Yellow Brigade have won five titles.
MS Dhoni handed over the reins to Ruturaj Gaikwad this year, marking the end of a fantastic captaincy career. He drew curtains on his Test career in 2014 while announcing his retirement from the white-ball format for India in 2020.
5 cricketers who said MS Dhoni was the best captain they played under
# 5. Faf du Plessis
Dhoni has not inspired only Indian cricketers; he is loved and admired by players all around the world. Among the overseas cricketers on whom Dhoni has left a lasting impression, former South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis tops the list. He was roped in by CSK in 2011 and represented the franchise until 2021.
Faf was part of the Rising Pune Super Giants (RPSG) in 2016 and 2017 when CSK was suspended for two years. Ahead of the 2024 IPL, the current skipper of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) expressed his admiration for Dhoni while speaking to Star Sports.
“He (Dhoni) is the greatest ever captain, and I am very lucky that I have spent some time with him over the years. I think that's probably the biggest thing in my career, shaped me from a leadership perspective, were my years at Chennai, just observing MS and Stephen Fleming. As a young leader, it was special to my growth,” Faf du Plessis said (via Hindustan Times).
# 4. Moeen Ali
Former England all-rounder Moeen Ali, who recently announced his retirement from international cricket, labeled MS Dhoni and Eoin Morgan as the best captains he has played under. A significant chunk of Moeen's IPL career for CSK came under Dhoni. Under Morgan, England won their maiden ODI World Cup in 2019 and Moeen Ali was part of the triumphant squad.
During a recent interaction shared by England Cricket on Instagram, Moeen was asked to pick his favorite captain. He picked Morgan as the best international skipper but also mentioned Dhoni in the same breath. Moeen has been part of the CSK squad since 2021 and has enjoyed his time playing under the Ranchi-born legend.
“Yeah, him [Eoin Morgan] and MS Dhoni obviously. But for England, yeah, Morgs was outstanding. Unbelievable captain, leader, had everything that a great leader has and all the attributes that is needed to be, and what he achieved,” Moeen said.
# 3. Mohammed Shami
Shami made his India debut in an ODI against Pakistan under MS Dhoni's captaincy in January 2013. The 34-year-old medium pacer also played his maiden Test under the Indian icon. In February 2024, Shami was asked to pick the best captain he has played under so far.
“It is different for everyone. These things start with comparisons. But you will say that there will be one who has been more successful, and for me, it is MS Dhoni. No one has been more successful than him,” Shami said in a conversation with News18 (via Firstpost).
# 2. Suresh Raina
The camaraderie of Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni is something that all cricket fans have cherished. Raina has always expressed his massive admiration for Dhoni and has time and again touted him as the best Indian captain.
He has also picked Dhoni as the ‘GOAT’ of Indian cricket ahead of the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli. In one of the interviews, Raina even said he played for MS Dhoni first and then for India. Raina played the majority of his international and IPL career under Dhoni's leadership.
Fondly known as ‘Chinna Thala’ by CSK fans, Raina announced his retirement just a few hours after Dhoni called it quits in 2020.
“I think we have the best captain who has changed the Indian team like anything. Now we have that same aura in our dressing room,” Raina said on ‘The Super Kings show’ on Star Sports Tamil in 2020.
The two players formed the core group of the Chennai Super King, and Raina remained Dhoni's deputy for a long time. Raina was part of India’s World Cup-winning squad in 2011 and was used brilliantly by ‘Thala.’
# 1. Sachin Tendulkar
You cannot look beyond Sachin Tendulkar when the artistry of cricket is concerned. Having made his international debut way back in 1989, Tendulkar played under several captains, including Krishnamachari Srikanth, Mohammad Azahruddin, and Sourav Ganguly.
However after India’s historic World Cup win in 2011, Tendulkar hailed Dhoni as the best captain he had played under. It was Tendulkar who had initially suggested Dhoni’s name for the captaincy role in 2007. Interacting with Dhoni from the slip cordon, Tendulkar realized that the wicketkeeper had a sharp brain and recommended his name.
"My observation of MS Dhoni was very good. His mind is very stable, he's calm, he's instinctive, and makes the right decisions. I recommended him for the captaincy,” Tendulkar said on Jio Cinema during the 2024 IPL.
Following India’s World Cup win in 2011, Tendulkar said (via India Today):
“He is the best captain I have played under. He is sharp and always very alert. He reads the situation well and is open to sharing ideas. He always has discussions with bowlers, batsmen and senior players separately.”
In his illustrious 24-year international career, Tendulkar played under six captains, and to pick Dhoni indicates that the Master noticed something unique in Dhoni. Tendulkar's suggestion yielded fruit for more than a decade for Indian cricket.