Indian sports stars who championed the art of leadership
Leadership is subjective and every leader is different. Each leader has a special journey and a unique way of overcoming challenging situations. Having said that, they have one thing in common i.e their will to succeed, regardless of the nature of undecipherable danger at play.
The hallowed fields of professional sport are littered with examples of succinct leadership. From the bellowing brawls of Dhanraj Pillay to the calculative calm of MS Dhoni, the beneficial effect bestowed upon a team’s performance by a rousing appraisal or a timely intervention usually marks the difference between merely winning trophies and sustaining a legacy.
Travel backward in your mind, to the year of 1983. Put yourself in the shoes of K Srikkanth. By your own admittance, you’ve stopped by in London to play the World Cup, before landing in New York for your honeymoon. You’re currently reeling from a heavy defeat at the hands of the Australians. You feel the weight of a million dreams compress upon your already over-burdened shoulders. You feel their anguish at the possibility of being unable to deliver a smile to their faces, rather a sense of shame at a national disaster. You’re ready to give up when, until Kapil Dev gives a team talk.
He states his sincere belief that the prevalent genius of the West Indies can be outsmarted, their dominance broken. Such was the depth of his desire to succeed, the idea roots itself at the core of your subconscious, and you feel the task is complete even before an attempt. You go on to destroy every one who comes your way, go on to win the coveted cup. It takes a special kind of leader to instill courage where none existed, and a heavenly character to overcome the trials of being branded an underdog and prevailing.
MS Dhoni has proven himself to be one of the most successful cricket captains in the history of the sport. The statistics make a strong case for the above statement: The Indian cricket team's win percentage under him stands at 59.52%. The catalyst of victory at two World Cups, 2007 T20 and 2011 ODI tournaments, he adopted a straightforward approach to the art of leadership, accepting the advice of his seniors, namely Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, delivering success by making use of all resources at his disposal sans ego.
An important barrier to overcome in all walks of life, especially the corporate world. Another lesson to be taken away is his reliance on the virtue of instinct and intuition, rather than plainly accepting the advice of number crunchers. In an important final against the English, Dhoni chose Ishant Sharma to bowl an extra over, in stark defiance of the tale spun by the statisticians employed, who felt Umesh Yadav could deliver better.
His decision proved prophetic, with India going on to seize victory at the behest of Ishant Sharma’s bowling prowess. When questioned about the above, Dhoni played down his stroke of genius, choosing to portray a stance wherein his prior experience in the sport enabled his choice.
Sunil Chhetri has forged a name for himself on the field as well as in the hearts of all those who have encountered his simplicity. The diminutive striker endorses to great effect an ageless style of leadership - leading by example. Being one of the select few footballers to play at club level outside of India, he could have easily developed ingratitude for the lackadaisical Indian standards of football infrastructure, equipment, tactics, and coaching methods.
He teaches us the lesson of humility in the face of great success, choosing to embrace whatever challenges the Indian Football environment throws at him without any complaints, choosing to focus on improving his game rather than blame the prevalent conditions. Being the third highest international goal-scorer in the world after Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, and at the same time championing local sports brands such as Vector X, is till date a feat unheard off.
Dhanraj Pillay, one of India’s greatest ever hockey players, captain, and Padma Shri awardee needs no introduction. “Fiery calm” could be a great description for the talented forward, with his perfectly juxtaposed nature serving as an excellent evoker of the right reaction from his team-mates.
Adopting a no-nonsense strategy, Dhanraj believed in being honest with himself, the people he was responsible for and for calling out injustice where he saw fit. His skirmishes with the hockey federation ultimately harmed his career, as he was left out of the squad for important matches, but his sincerity did not go unnoticed, as he continues to inspire generations of upcoming hockey players and enthusiasts of the sport. His tactical prowess was eventually acknowledged when he served as the coach of the team, and his legacy remained intact.
The list of successful leaders in Indian sport can never cease to end, and the aforementioned were a few examples that have inspired countless others to first follow and then lead.