http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 - Part 2 - Opinion
Dhoni is definitely not ordinary and his mind works like a computer, where he continues to decipher cricket matches as if they were a mathematical equation. He understands India’s limited bowling repertoire, yet deploys his bowlers and his fielders in a
manner which bamboozles the opposition. The World Cup encounter against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/ICC-World-Cup-2011-c100625 World T20 of 2007 at Johannesburg was a prime example of how Dhoni managed to martial his troops, after Pakistan got off to a rocketing start in pursuit
of a modest total. After the game boiled down to the last over, all eyes were on Dhoni over what he could do to translate this nail biting finish into a memorable Indian win.
Entrusting the responsibility of bowling the last over to a rookie against a blood thirsty Misbah- Ul- Haq however, was not a gamble that captains were willing to take. Yet Dhoni defied the odds and went with the lesser experienced http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Joginder-Sharma-c67164, to bowl
the last over. The gambit paid off eventually, as a disastrous scoop shot by Misbah was snapped by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/S-Sreesanth-c2398, to give India a famous victory. This was a match where Sixes were being peppered all around the ground, yet Dhoni ensured that he would have complete
command over his game, his troops and himself. It was all a product of a cool quotient that he had become known for.
He is also a big occasion player. Dhoni might disappoint by getting out cheaply in normal circumstances, yet whenever India has needed a match winning performance, he has contributed significantly, in all formats. Not many would forget this demolition job
against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 in the ICC World Cup 2011 Final in the fifty over format, played in a red hot Wankhede Stadium. With India in trouble, Dhoni backed his ability to pepper the bowlers and take runs all around the ground, to ensure that he could guide India
to a memorable win. His winning six off http://www.senore.com/Cricket/KMDN-Kulasekara-c1802 and his score of 91 not out, shook the subcontinent. His response was a usual smile, amid all his team mates who went berserk.
Dhoni has had to deal with less rosier times as well. Previous ICC World T20s tournaments have not been happy hunting grounds for the Indians, as they crashed out of the 2009 and 2010 versions of the game. Yet Dhoni continued to instill a feeling of self
belief amongst himself and his troops which came into the firing line. There were times when even his own match winning contributions proved to be futile, yet he continued to be assured even when whispers about his aptness to captain India began to surface
from various quarters.
He is also yet to register a half-century in T20 cricket, but has a startling average of in excess of 30 to go with his strike rate which is in excess of 100. These stats clearly highlight that Dhoni has had the ability to play a captain’s innings whenever
needed, and his presence in the middle- order sends down calm waves into the Indian dressing room. If a rare batting collapse does take place, Dhoni would always ensure that he could resurrect the innings by muscling and caressing the ball and eventually play
an innings of substance. His snappy catching behind the stumps has also proved vital in breaking partnerships as well. The remarkable aspect about him however, would be that he is relentlessly calm and never breaks a sweat, no matter what the situation is.
It is this calming influence that needs to rub off onto the Indian team if they are to become triumphant in this year’s ICC World T20. They certainly have the team to go the distance, but it would be the cool quotient of the poster boy from modern India,
that could prove to be the pivotal factor.
Disclaimer: Any views and opinions expressed in this article are solely of the author and do not represent Bettor.com's official editorial policy
Tags: