Resurgence of MS Dhoni, the batsman

The day was 9th December 2012. England had taken a 2-1 lead, thanks to awesome performances by Cook and Pietersen with the bat and the havoc created by Panesar and Swann with the ball. Dhoni the captain was being targeted, but more so was Dhoni the batsman. The critics had started sharpening their daggers. They were sensing that the weapon will be of great use soon. Just one Test to go with England, followed by two T20s and then it was a faceoff with the arch rivals, Pakistan (T20s and ODIs). Pakistan had a deadly bowling attack with the wily Saeed Ajmal to be faced along with some promising new quickies. Dhoni the captain was being criticised for arbit team selections and some listless field placings. But far severe was the criticism on his batting. Some poor shot selections, not playing according to the conditions and lack of application were the accusations made on him, and which were true.

In the Nagpur Test, on one of the dullest pitches where run scoring freely was the last option on every batsman’s mind, India went in with four spinners – Ashwin, Ojha, Chawla and Jadeja. None of them could work their magic. England scored 330, with notable half centuries from Pietersen and the debutant Joe Root. India were soon in trouble at 71–4, when Dhoni walked in to join Kohli. What was witnessed later was the exact opposite of the MSD we know. He scored 99 laborious runs from 246 balls. A strike rate of meagre 40, the Indian captain was showing application in his batting, according to the demand of the situation. India saved the Test match, but the inevitable had happened. India had lost the series. The critics questioned the captaincy and said that the 99 runs came in too late.

The game shifted to the youngest version, the T20s. Dhoni, the batsman loves this format. In the two matches, he scored 62 runs from 39 balls. In both the matches, he came when India were in a precarious situation. MSD played as per the conditions, more importantly he played the way he does when he is at his best, freely. India won one and lost the other (a last ball defeat). The critics couldn’t say much. The daggers had to be shelved for now, but they were confident that they would get to wield them soon.

In came Pakistan. The T20 series ended 1–1. Dhoni couldn’t score much. He managed only 34 from 25 balls. But then, that was pretty much the scene for the entire line up. India had bowed down to the debutant quickie, Mohammed Irfan. The critics laughed. They knew it was about time, Dhoni the batsman was now perishing. The first ODI at Chepauk began in the most unwanted manner from India’s perspective. Junaid Khan and Mohammed Irfan ran through the Indian lineup. When Dhoni joined Raina in the middle, India was 29-5. What came later was one of the most impressive innings under pressure. Dhoni scored 113 marvellous runs at almost run a ball rate. Though India lost the match, Dhoni the batsman was back. He scored a 54 in Kolkata and 36 valuable runs in the low scoring match at the Kotla. Though India though lost the series, all the accusations made on him as a batsman were being wiped off. His batting was clicking, he was playing according to the situation and of course there was application in the way he played. The daggers were not to taste blood yet.

The one-day series against England was a better outing for both the captain and the batsman in Dhoni. He scored 148 runs again at a strike rate of over 100. He came in at situations where the match was equally balanced and took the game away from the opposition. The critics never got a chance this time.

Again the game shifted to the older format, with India hosting the Aussies for the Border-Gavaskar trophy. The match at Chepauk (arguably Dhoni’s homeground) witnessed an innings from the Indian captain which could easily rank one of the best seen on the home turf in a long time. Batting second, Team India was trying to outscore Australia’s 382. India lost Tendulkar after he had contributed a classy 81. Kohli was set at the other end. One wicket more and the pressure would have been on India. But ‘Captain Cool’ batted wonderfully and scored his first double century, also the first double century by an Indian wicket keeper, to take the game away from the Aussies. He used his feet against the spinner and scored freely on both sides of the wicket. His 224 from 265 deliveries had 24 fours and 6 towering sixes. India has won the first Test comfortably. The daggers, I sense are back in the shelf, and will not be out for a while now.

After the Kolkata Test, Dhoni has scored 770 runs in 14 innings of all formats with an average of 77. This Chepauk innings by Dhoni was similar to the innings by Tendulkar in Sydney (241*) where he too answered the critics with typical class. This innings will help his captaincy too, as seen with Michael Clarke. As everyone says India needs Dhoni the captain, India needs Dhoni the batsman too as the team is in transition. He will have to lead from the front, bat regularly at No. 6 in Tests, score responsibly and of course when all this happens, winning is inevitable. Cheers to this resurgence of a batsman India needs badly.