Chika Talk
Kris Srikkanth
Dhoni revels under captaincy pressure
April 15, 2008
Call it plain luck or the X factor, M.S. Dhoni seems to have something extra to offer when he dons the skipper's hat. Due credit to Anil Kumble for the manner in which he has handled this side over the last three series and it was only fitting Dhoni, who has seen tough situations equally well in the shorter versions was handed over the reins when the veteran was declared unfit for the final Test.
The striking aspect of Dhoni's captaincy is his unruffled manner. When the South African openers had survived the initial phase in the second innings it looked like anybody's match but Dhoni backed his instincts and persisted with the bowlers who he thought had a greater chance of getting wickets.
For long, Virendar Sehwag has been an under-utilised bowler. And the blows he struck at vital moments of the match proved the kind of confidence Dhoni had instilled in a part time bowler. I would have never thought of tossing the new ball to a spinner when the match was hanging in balance.
Dhoni has this ability to think out of the box. Sometimes it can make a captain look silly but in his case he has been successful on more occasions than one. Right from the day he took over as captain he has maintained a sage calm that one does not normally associate with modern day captains.
By his own admission Dhoni is not a natural leader and has never led a cricket team at any level before he was handed charge of the Indian side for the T20 world championship.
This makes his success more fascinating. It is never easy to slip into the role of captain of the Indian cricket team. It is a tough job that needs tremendous mental make-up and Dhoni has proved on more than an occasion that he has it him to last the distance.
Harbhajan Singh's return to form was one of the biggest positives the team could take home from this drawn series. He might still not be at his best, but in conditions that favour his craft he has got a lot to offer. What I liked about his approach was he gave the ball a lot more air than he has done in the recent past and he was aptly rewarded.
To win a Test match, especially at home, without the services of both Anil Kumble and Sachin Tendulkar was commendable. It was the first Test since 1992 where India had fielded a side with both missing out. Sourav Ganguly came to the party at the right time and proved there is no substitute for experience in the longer version. The right mix of experience and youth won the match and one must not forget the contribution made by the likes of Ishanth Sharma.
With the IPL around the corner it was an important victory. If the result at Green Park was any different, tongues would have never stopped wagging on how the team had lost due to lack of focus. Now that the home record has been preserved and the No. 2 position on the ICC Test chart secured it's time to sit back and enjoy the rich entertainment IPL will throw up.
Republished with permission from The Asian Age
The striking aspect of Dhoni's captaincy is his unruffled manner. When the South African openers had survived the initial phase in the second innings it looked like anybody's match but Dhoni backed his instincts and persisted with the bowlers who he thought had a greater chance of getting wickets.
For long, Virendar Sehwag has been an under-utilised bowler. And the blows he struck at vital moments of the match proved the kind of confidence Dhoni had instilled in a part time bowler. I would have never thought of tossing the new ball to a spinner when the match was hanging in balance.
Dhoni has this ability to think out of the box. Sometimes it can make a captain look silly but in his case he has been successful on more occasions than one. Right from the day he took over as captain he has maintained a sage calm that one does not normally associate with modern day captains.
By his own admission Dhoni is not a natural leader and has never led a cricket team at any level before he was handed charge of the Indian side for the T20 world championship.
This makes his success more fascinating. It is never easy to slip into the role of captain of the Indian cricket team. It is a tough job that needs tremendous mental make-up and Dhoni has proved on more than an occasion that he has it him to last the distance.
Harbhajan Singh's return to form was one of the biggest positives the team could take home from this drawn series. He might still not be at his best, but in conditions that favour his craft he has got a lot to offer. What I liked about his approach was he gave the ball a lot more air than he has done in the recent past and he was aptly rewarded.
To win a Test match, especially at home, without the services of both Anil Kumble and Sachin Tendulkar was commendable. It was the first Test since 1992 where India had fielded a side with both missing out. Sourav Ganguly came to the party at the right time and proved there is no substitute for experience in the longer version. The right mix of experience and youth won the match and one must not forget the contribution made by the likes of Ishanth Sharma.
With the IPL around the corner it was an important victory. If the result at Green Park was any different, tongues would have never stopped wagging on how the team had lost due to lack of focus. Now that the home record has been preserved and the No. 2 position on the ICC Test chart secured it's time to sit back and enjoy the rich entertainment IPL will throw up.
Republished with permission from The Asian Age
