An enigma called Mahendra Singh Dhoni - where cricketing logic ceases to exist
On 20th April 2019, when the timeless MS Dhoni come within a whisker of pulling off another improbable run chase against RCB, I wondered if there will ever be a cricketer under greater scrutiny than him. Be it franchise cricket or international cricket as captain and now as player, Dhoni has never had the luxury of being away from the microscope.
Yes, Virat Kohli might have taken over now, but the cricket world still can't take their eyes off Dhoni.
Now as we see him taking on the bowlers in IPL 2019, things remain the same; he still has the pressures of making bowling changes, he still has to deal with the stress of being the only one at the end where you need to get 50 off 18 deliveries or 20 off the last six. And seldom do we see any signs of the veteran slowing down.
During the 2015 World Cup, when AB de Villiers, the then SA captain, asked him about the secret behind his longevity despite playing day in and out, Dhoni smilingly replied, "I love every second of it."
Dhoni relishes the pressures and stress that come with the sport. In fact, I wonder sometimes whether he looks at those dicey situations the way the rest of the world does.
Every time Dhoni as captain secures a triumph, I can't help but analyze the dynamics of the team that he builds so expertly. That CSK have managed to reach the playoffs every time they've played in the IPL is testimony to Dhoni's tactical nous as much as the talent existing within the team.
Dhoni's success at CSK is the exemplar of the fact that securing the services of the top players around the world and making a team out of them doesn't guarantee success - as RCB have learned the hard way. At CSK, evidently, Dhoni backs his players to the hilt; he doesn't believe in constant changing and chopping, but is always open to dynamic plans in sync with the flow of the game, just the way T20 is supposed to be played.
Dhoni's group is more like the cast of a critically acclaimed movie (say Lunch Box) which, even though not spectacular or eye-catching, gets the job done. It refreshingly doesn't rely on the main character to mesmerize the audience with his tricks; just a few moments of brilliance from even the supporting actor enthralls the audience.
Every actor in the film plays a huge part in making the movie a success, which is exactly how CSK functions.
Last week when CSK played KKR, Dhoni brought on his premier wicket-taker Imran Tahir against the outrageous power of Andre Russell. That was rightly billed as the clash of titans but Russell's ego led to his downfall. In hindsight he could have safely negotiated that over, but he chose to try and establish his dominance instead.
That was truly the turning point of the game. Dhoni’s leadership had prevailed over a batsman’s pride yet again.
It's also instructive to observe the exact opposite pattern of events that transpires when Dhoni is at the crease. Many argue that Dhoni takes the chase too deep, leaving the middle order too much to do at the end. But in hindsight, it is evident that Dhoni's algorithm re-calibrates the target to be set or chased and decides the bowler he is going to target.
That probably explains why we never find Dhoni targeting best players in the opposition. The ego of being the best finisher in the business is kept behind in the dressing room itself; Dhoni never has a need to 'dominate' the best of the opposition.
If you look at some of Dhoni's greatest finishes - Shaminda Eranga in 2013, Corey Anderson in last year’s IPL and more recently Jaydev Unadkat this year - it has always been the weakest bowlers that were unfortunately in the firing line.
As we analyze Dhoni’s career, which unfortunately is at its fag end now, the focus immediately shifts to the three ICC trophies and the many titles he has bagged for CSK. However, as much as I admire him for the triumphs, I believe Dhoni’s contribution to Indian cricket goes much beyond.
For a 90s kid like me, India’s middle order collapses and subsequent losses were a recurring nightmare. In fact, I still vividly recall celebrating Diwali in a subdued mood thanks to one of those infamous collapses.
Later, as Dada (Sourav Ganguly) introduced a young and aggressive Indian team to world cricket, the performances improved gradually. But still, the finals syndrome (floundering in the big matches) continued to haunt the team.
Dhoni's emergence (not to forget that of Yuvraj Singh) ensured that Indian fans could breathe easy in the critical stages of the game. And more importantly, Dhoni as captain showed the cricketing world that it is possible to turn around matches with a stroke of tactical brilliance.
Under Dhoni, players performed as though they were unaware of the pressure of a billion people. And crucially, mistakes were accepted, provided subsequent lessons were taken back to the dressing room along with the players.
All these years, Dhoni has relied on his instincts to come this far. Perhaps coming from a region like Jharkhand has helped him stay away from the much-hyped analytics and long team meetings, and instead be his usual jugaadu captain.
Maybe therein lies a lesson for all the aspiring leaders of the world, irrespective of the field they come from. It’s not about the players you have or the dazzling talent you can boast of in the team. Ultimately, it comes down to the commitment to the cause, the bonding within a group and of course the vision set by the leadership.
And as I write this, Dhoni looks set to take CSK to another title, and then the ICC World Cup beckons…Experts continue to say that Dhoni the batsman is on the vane. But Indian cricket fans still wonder if he can give them one more moment to savor.
Can he regain the Cup this time as the pseudo captain? I don’t know. But does it really matter? Nah! Because for the enigma called MS Dhoni, no cricketing logic applies.
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