Clarke and Dhoni: A tale of two skippers

The technical brilliance of a batsman differs according to the preferences, style and the knowledge of the game. Batsmen who have achieved similar levels of success could vary like chalk and cheese on the inside. Yet, there is an uncanny resemblance when comparisons are drawn against players of great calibre. The persistence and the innocuous courage that they possess are outstanding. They are seldom languid and their attitude underlines glory and pride.

Leading a team is a task for the brave. The job manual requires an array of specific aptitudes that would hold the team in good stead in case of an emergency. The two skippers who took the centre stage on the first test at Chennai are no different. While one is a dynamic and skilful, other is a master artisan and craftsman.

The first Test match between India and Australia demonstrated the significance of the skipper in a modern day game. They had the perfect opportunity to objectify their batting repertoire in front of a knowledgeable audience. Being the captain of a team can have severe repercussions. It is a sword that is hanging above the neck. Yet, it is a liberating feeling to understand that responsibilities have been entrusted upon you and that is a sign of confidence.

Chepauk was illuminated by the skippers, and it was their show all the way as they demolished the opponents in varying styles and led the team by example. Here are the performances of the skippers, summarized as a dedication to the domination par excellence.

Michael Clarke:

Players seldom excel in batting as well as captaincy. He was an exception as he took to captaincy like a fish to the water. His first assignment was against an already beaten-down India. It was a walk-in-the park for his team as he waltzed through demolishing the Indian bowling attack. Things could have been different for India had he not been in his prime. Two dazzling centuries later, he had India as cannon fodder for the ribbon-cutting ceremony of his captaincy.

Michael Clarke was not exactly disciplined right from the start of his career. He was way-ward and had major attitude problems, much like Virat Kohli. He was supposedly reprimanded by his captain for these very reasons. He did turn a new leaf and Clarke became more mature and new level of self-belief was born within.

Clarke has a special connection with India. Though he had a mediocre first-class record, he was picked for the tour of India where he scored his maiden ton, not to mention his six-wicket haul in that series that sealed the match in Australia’s favour.  The innings, though termed as reckless, was applauded for the immense courage and self-belief that Clarke exhibited.

Clarke assimilated the characteristics of a champion player even as his career was fraught with struggles as he had to make his case to be included in a talent-filled Australian side. It was all in the past as he walked out bat on a hot Friday afternoon against a spin-filled Indian side. His team was faltering as Ashwin was weaving a web around a raw and inexperienced Australian side. Clarke was left to battle alone with rookie Moises Henriques and the pressure would have gotten the better of a lesser man. But Clarke was inexorable as he waged a lone battle against India.

Defining Clarke’s batting would require a horde of adjectives as his nimble footwork and impeccable timing took our breath away. He was gently caressing the ball to the boundaries as the noise made by the willow was the only evidence to the contrary. He was smoothly sailing through the high-tide as he carried Australia to the shores of safety.

It was a captain’s innings to say the least; if not for his brilliance, Australia would have been bundled up for less than 250 runs and India could have easily wrapped up the match before the end of day four. It was significant in this aspect as it saved the Australian’s some blushes. Clarke could have had more runs in his kitty had he not been running out of partners. He strolled to his hundred in a serene fashion but was unlucky to not make it much more significant as he gifted his wicket to Ravindra Jadeja after putting in hours of hard work.

This innings was even more important since it came in an intense pressure situation. He was the skipper of the side and would have been worrying about the state of the team as he stared at defeat even before the end of the first innings. He was a saviour and a leader by example.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni:

‘The boy from the country side’ was how he was portrayed as he marched into the big picture with his sassy looks and fuzzy hair-style. He was termed as a sharp tack by his skipper and was persisted with even though his credentials in the domestic circuit weren’t worth a mention. People attributed his success to luck, circumstances and some even took a dig at Dhoni at his absurd foot-work and style. But it did not stop him from blasting his way to two mammoth centuries; one against Pakistan and the other against Sri Lanka to cement his place in the side.

He was exuding the confidence of a mature person as he was handed the captaincy after the 2007 World Cup debacle. He excelled to everyone’s astonishment; unlike his predecessor, he successfully guided India to a World Cup victory. To say that India had its golden era during his captaincy would be an understatement. Indian cricket thrived as it went about winning laurels all around the world.

It was not much different as Dhoni demolished the Aussies in the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar trophy. Chennai is considered a second home for the Indian skipper as he plies his trade for the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League. He came into bat in a precarious situation. India had just lost Sachin and was looking down with more than 200 runs required. India needed a substantial innings from the skipper. They had to secure the first innings lead but the loss of Sachin was a real dampener to the proceedings.

It is a known fact that Dhoni is not the best Test batsman and only Ravindra Jadeja was in line after him, not to mention the couple of bowling ‘all-rounders’. They could have gotten a few runs but it wouldn’t have been enough to build a substantial total. It was then that Dhoni joined hands with Kohli and took the attack back to the opposition. He was ballistic in his approach as he provided a perfect rejoinder to Clarke’s innings as a skipper. If Clarke was subtle, Dhoni differed by blasting his way into the fifties as he did not spare any bowler.

It was pleasing to see the Dhoni of the old in his essence. He was unstoppable as he sweetened the pot for the Indian bowlers while the lead kept growing along with his score. The shots were full of brute force as he notched up his sixth Test hundred. Dhoni did not want to stop there as he shepherded the tail-enders along with him. It is here the two skippers diversify themselves. Where Clarke lost the plot in guiding the tail, Dhoni covered them and had the situation under control. Dhoni went about breaking many records even as he was creating a few more on his way to his maiden double ton.

It was an innings full of intent and courage as he fulfilled his duty as a skipper to perfection. It was pleasing to see Dhoni batting without pressure, though he might have felt it as he walked out to bat. It is an innings that will go down the history as one of the best ever knocks by a wicket-keeping batsman. India is well on their way to win this match and a man-of-the-match would definitely be an icing on the cake!