The Helicopter on the cricket ground.

 

Everybody of my age has probably some MS Dhoni story (or may be not). So do i. I was at my school that day, back in 2005 when on a recess break saw in the small tv near principal’s office, this long haired new name. Match against Pakistan in Vizag, and he was running bonkers. 148 is what he scored that day but i learnt his 3 worded name just to be sure to watch him next time again. Little did i know that within the next 2 years he would be leading the national side. And through the next 6 years of his captaincy, he would lead India to win the most coveted of ICC trophies (First T-20 World cup in 2007, 50 Over World cup in 2011, ICC champions trophy in 2013) and also make India the Test No. 1 team.

Cricket is not just a matter of faith and religion in India, it brings people out of sadness, it brings smiles, it brings the country together, and it brings pride. And leading the national team, is at times a more powerful position than may be Prime Minister’s or Presidents. Because India is too emotional a country to accept a loss in the 22 yards than move along in a corruption scandal. We cannot bear losses in the cricket field. He was not leading 11 men, he was the collective strength of 130 crore Indians. That is pretty powerful.

Dhoni’s leadership is not just an example of how to lead a sports team. Of course he is street smart, he is uncharacteristic, his unorthodoxy decisions is what that team was what it was. His decision to promote himself in that WC final in Mumbai, is still the best chess move without a chess board. His decision to give ball to Joginder Sharma in bull ring, was not just another instinctive choice gone right. With the power of hindsight, you can call this brilliant but he had not too much time to make those calls, i guarantee. So that’s genius to settle once it for all.

But it was impeccable command of the game that propelled India to those heights post 2007 WC debacle. It was his toughest choices. He was India’s first Michael Bevan by a margin. And he never fulfilled that role without a small heartache to millions, because required run rate had to go so much up so that only Dhoni could finish it. And then we all rejoiced.

Dhoni’s leadership skills should be corporate board room talks, his management style is to be copied. His calm and composed demeanour is what makes a leader. His long view on stuff what makes him the great man. And his thing on it is about the team all the time makes him class apart. As soon as he was handed over the trophy in 2011, he just moved away to the sidelines because he was not meant to be in the centre stage as no leader is meant to be, he wanted to be the side kick though it was his night of performance which produced that result.

I grew up with understanding Indian cricket when Ganguly was captain with his breakthrough 2002 Natwest trophy and commanding run in 2003 WC. But when Dhoni became the captain, i was already post the school life in pursuit of a degree to secure life, and i followed him on a lot of cues. He always set up important lessons.

With him now, leaving the stage with a short Instagram post, with no farewell match, no press conference, no fanfare, just a post in the middle of the pandemic...this is what it has come down is, a simple thank-you and good bye. I am sure that would not be as easy as he made it look, but alas that’s Dhoni for you.

Look, this is not the time of whining about what could have gone wrong in the intervening period last WC and now, it is time to celebrate for the man who he is. A self-less, team first, humble, empathetic, soul full leader of Indian national cricket team. He led talents bigger than him, but with no ego. He let Ganguly captain the last over of his career. He was the idea behind the running guard salute to Tendulkar’s last match. He found happiness in things which a 7 year old ones would find, Matthew Hayden once said. Dhoni is and will always remain a national treasure who ended up giving a good day’s sleep and some great examples to millions in this country.

Thank-you Mahi, you inspired me. And in the famous dialogue of biographical movie ‘Mahi maar raha hai’, just changed to ‘Mahi jaa raha hai’.

Indian cricket will need his services for a long time to come. And i will miss him on the cricket field whenever cricket comes back. They say not to say ‘Never say never’, but i like to punt on there will never be another Dhoni.