Wednesday, October 3, 2007

MS Dhoni

With T20 WC victory, MS Dhoni tasted success almost as much if not more than what Kapil Dev did back in 1983.

Everyone started comparing MSD to KD and gushed how India has found a cool captain and how he managed resources smartly to ensure the victory.

I have no doubts that Dhoni has a cool head on his strong shoulders but I think it is too premature for us to start celebrating 'The Captain' just yet for the following reasons:
1) Dhoni was plain lucky as a captain to have a team that wanted to prove something and in the format of the game where strategies can be thrown to winds and ball out of the grounds, the team delivered under pressure - every individual played his part, including Dhoni. And he will be the first to admit that he was lucky.
2) Dhoni did not show any smart moves to ensure this victory - in fact I do not support his decision of giving the final overs in 2 most important matches to inexperienced and dull bowler - Joginder Sharma. In fact he looked more like a captain who did not try too many experiments and went with the tried and tested methods.
3) Nothing succeeds like success and Dhoni knows it now better than anyone else

While it was a fantabulistic effort by the Indian team including MSD, let us keep our feet firmly on ground and hope that MSD does the same too.

5 comments:

Cuckoo said...

Well, I know we are on the same path when we say that Dhoni has a cool head. And I agree that he was lucky to win the WC.

But what I don't agree with you is his giving last overs to Joginder. Even I know Joginder is a dull bowler whom even I would not have preferred but do you think Dhoni really had a choice there ? I think he was short of one good all rounder or someone who could have been handy in those situations. Bhajji was not getting the bowl right & others had completed their quota.

I agree, it was plain luck that Misbah played that idiotic shot to let us win.. Joginder's bowling wasnt good.

Ranjeet said...

Hey Cuckoo,

Am glad that you agree with me. About Joginder also, I agree that Dhoni did not have a choice with Bhajji not working well. But I also concur that Dhoni has started well and one hopes that he will improve with time and experiences.

Anonymous said...

Ranjeet,
We won because we were not burdened of the expectations at all. This is the reason our boys played to their full potential and won the royal way. But henceforth, there will be a lot of pressure in every match and that would be a real test of the captain and the boys. The real test is how our boys tackle the pressure in difficult situations.

I totally agree with what you have written!

Ranjeet said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ranjeet said...

Thanks, Abhijit!
I agree with you that we were not burdened. I'd rather say that the boys did not take any burden and that was the key! And as I said, nothing succeeds like success, the key is to sustain one's cool head in times of crisis and when things go wrong! That is when we will test MSD. And lookig at the way Aussies are plundering us all around, that moment won't be too far away!