"He didn't want credit, he just wanted to make his team win" - Aakash Chopra on MS Dhoni as leader and captain
Aakash Chopra has lauded MS Dhoni for not longing for credit and just wanting his team to win as leader and captain.
Dhoni captained India to the title in the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007. He was the skipper when the Men in Blue won the 2011 ODI World Cup and the 2013 Champions Trophy. India also became the top-ranked Test side under his leadership.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra reflected on MS Dhoni's leadership style. He noted that the former India captain never hogged the limelight, elaborating (9:50):
"Mahendra Singh Dhoni the leader, Mahendra Singh Dhoni the captain - it's a huge chapter in itself. I was reading about Nelson Mandela, who said that leadership has many ways. You lead from the front, you lead from behind, you lead by example, you lead by committee."
"He captained in a very different way. He has always captained from behind. He allowed the others to flourish. He didn't want credit, he just wanted to make his team win. You can take the credit, remain close to and lift the trophy, and he will stand somewhere on the side," the former India opener added.
Chopra pointed out that Dhoni enhanced the players' strengths and hid their weaknesses as much as possible. He added that it was extremely clear in the talismanic skipper's mind that he had to build a team and that players only do well when they are given confidence, an idea he consistently implemented wherever he captained.
"What was left to achieve?" - Aakash Chopra on MS Dhoni's trophy-laden career
![MS Dhoni led the Chennai Super Kings to a record-equaling fifth IPL title last year. [P/C: iplt20.com]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/03/6fe45-17093571913888-1920.jpg?w=500)
Aakash Chopra noted that MS Dhoni has conquered virtually all the frontiers as a captain. He stated:
"What was left to achieve? He won the T20 World Cup when no one expected he would be made the captain. Then the IPL happened, where the Chennai team won their first trophy in 2010."
"You won the World Cup again under his captaincy in 2011, finished it off in style with a six. After that, you also won the 2013 Champions Trophy. Chennai kept winning trophies one after the other in the IPL. So he became captain par excellence," the reputed commentator added.
Chopra concluded by opining that there hasn't been a better captain than Dhoni in white-ball cricket. He acknowledged that the 90-Test veteran was slightly defensive as a captain in the longest format. However, he added that it was probably because he didn't have adequate resources in the bowling department.