Dhoni Mahendra Singh - The Dhoni Touch: unravelling the enigma that is mahendra singh dhoni

I ts a real pleasure to write this foreword for Bharat who I am sure will portray the best of the great man in his own casual and laid-back style of writing, which, I am sure, will make this book a fascinating read.

My earliest memories of Mahendra Singh Dhoni are unflattering. It was late 2004. There had been talk of an exciting twenty-four-year-old from Ranchi who had been making waves in domestic cricket with his big-hitting, but there was little evidence of his prowess, especially when he made a quiet entry in his first few international games.

The first three games were against Bangladesh, and I can distinctly remember the cluck-cluck in the commentary box when he was dismissed cheaply in the fourth too, this time against Pakistan, always the acid test for any Indian cricketer. Did he really belong at this level?

There wasnt much scope left for debate when Dhoni smashed 148 in the next game he played. Before the year was through, he had thrashed Sri Lanka for an unbeaten 183. A star was born.

For a decade after that, I met Dhoni intermittently. He was player, then captain of India, and I spent most of my time, mic in hand, in the commentary box. Our paths crossed frequently, but given our different jobs, we did not have much time together.

Nonetheless, I marvelled at his rapid growth, as a player, then as a pillar of the Indian team. His work ethic was excellent, as I gathered from those around the Indian team, but even more impressive was his unflappable temperament.

Captain Cool may sound clichd now, but in many ways it was an apt description, for nothing could frazzle Dhoni. Ive seen him remain steadfast and inscrutable like a monk in victory and defeat.

With every passing game, my admiration for him only grew, particularly during my stints as the team director in 201416, and then as chief coach from mid-2017. Being in the same dressing room gave me greater insight into the player and the man, and in both aspects, he is top class.

Dhoni is an unorthodox cricketer and an unconventional man. His technique, in front of and behind the stumps, is not easily replicable. My suggestion to youngsters is: dont try it, unless it comes naturally. But this does not mean he doesnt put in the hard yards to succeed. In fact, there are few who train and try harder.

As an individual, he is fascinating. A man of few words, his ability to insulate himself from all the brouhaha that surrounds cricket in Indiaand this gets more cacophonic when a player is successfulis quite remarkable.

He has a sharp street-smart brain and can cut through the clutterwhether on cricketing matters or otherwiseto reach a decision rapidly. Sometimes, the decision can be astounding, leaving people with dropped jaws.

This happened when Dhoni quit Test cricket in the middle of the series against Australia in 201415. I had no inklingnobody didthat this thought was even churning in his mind. When he announced his retirement, everybody was stupefied.

Ill be dishonest if I say I didnt have my doubts he had done the right thing then (especially as a Test player, he could have carried on). But looking back, I think it was the correct decision. Also, brave and selfless. I cant think of another player who would quit the scene having played ninety Tests. The temptation to reach the milestone of 100 would be impossible for most to resist, not to mention the power of captaincy. But Dhoni didnt want to linger on in a format where he believed he wasnt able to give it his all.

Giving up Test cricket, I believe in hindsight, has helped him extend his career by quite a few years. Watching him in the IPL in 2018, I havent seen him look sharper, fitter and hungrier, which is a kick in the teeth for those who doubted whether he could last this long.

More pertinent is his value in the dressing room. There are always doubts about how a senior player, and a hugely successful former captain at that, would fit in with all the youngsters and a new captain. This requires mature understanding of player and dressing room dynamics, and Dhoni has gelled superbly, being pillar, adviser, mentor, whatever the situation demands, without imposing his ego.

I wont labour on providing Dhonis career highlights. These are too many and too well known to bear repetition. All Ill say is that in the fifteen years hes been playing international cricket, Dhoni has compiled a body of work which marks him out as a legend. With a capital L.

In fact, Id use only capital letters to fortify the point. LEGEND.

Mumbai

June 2018

Ravi Shastri