Monday, September 21, 2020

Dhoni more popular than Tendulkar: Gavaskar

Sunil Gavaskar has said that Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s popularity in India has exceeded the level of fandom even the great Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli enjoy.

Speaking about Dhoni before the IPL opener, Gavaskar said, “Since MSD comes from Ranchi, which doesn’t have a cricket culture as such, the whole India loves him. Tendulkar has Mumbai and Kolkata, Kohli has Delhi and Bengaluru but when you talk of Dhoni it’s whole India.”

Source: TH

Sunday, September 20, 2020

MS Dhoni prefers players 'who are good in all departments': Deepak Chahar

Deepak Chahar, who was also the part of the XI in the game, has now revealed that CSK skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni prefers players who can contribute in each department of the game.

"I think Dhoni prefers those who are good in all departments. He likes those who can contribute in batting, bowling and fielding. A bowler can have a bad day but he can change a match by grabbing a good catch or can win the batch with a six or a four," Chahar told former India opener Aakash Chopra in his show 'Aakash Vaani'.

"If you look at our team, we have many players who are good in every department. T20 is a format that requires you to do everything. There are a lot of teams in the IPL which have a strong batting line-up or a strong bowling attack but they remain dependent on a few cricketers. If they do well, they end up winning you matches single-handedly but if they don't, the team struggles," Chahar said.

Source: ITV

Friday, September 18, 2020

MS Dhoni on the Verge of Going Past AB de Villiers in Elite List

 


MS Dhoni, the CSK captain, who already holds the record for most sixes by an Indian in the IPL, needs four hits over the ropes to go past AB de Villiers in the IPL six-hitters’ list. Dhoni has smashed 209 sixes in IPL so far, while South African legend de Villiers has 212 sixes to his name.

If Dhoni manages to hit four sixes against MI in the tournament opener on Saturday, he will climb to the second spot in IPL list of batsmen with most sixes, which is currently led by KXIP’s Chris Gayle, who has 326 sixes to his credit.

Dhoni, who holds the record for captaining in most international matches has also captained the most in IPLs. Dhoni, who has led Chennai Super Kings in 10 seasons and Rising Pune Supergiant in one, has captained in 174 IPL matches. He had played as a keeper-batsman in IPL 2017 when RPS was led by Australia’s Steve Smith.

Dhoni who has won three IPLs as CSK captain also holds the record for most wins in the tournament as captain. Dhoni has 104 wins, only captain to have 100 wins in IPL. Dhoni’s win percentage of 60.11 is the best by a captain with min. 50 matches in the IPL.

With 132 dismissals a wicketkeeper Dhoni has the most dismissals by a wicket-keeper in IPL. Dhoni has inflicted 38 stumpings which is also the most by a keeper in the history of the tournament.

Source: HT

Monday, September 14, 2020

David Miller Praises MS Dhoni; Calls Him One of the Best Finishers Ever


Hailed as one of the greatest ever finishers in the history of limited-overs cricket – Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s ability to snatch victory from jaws of defeat is second to none. Dhoni has been instrumental to India’s success at the international stage and performed equally well for his IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings. The legendary wicketkeeper-batsman has single-handedly scripted several memorable triumphs.

South African batsman David Miller, who has been roped up by Rajasthan Royals ahead of the 13th edition of Indian Premier League (IPL), wants to imbibe the former India skipper’s calmness in high-pressure run chases. 

I absolutely love the way Dhoni goes about his business. Certainly his calmness – you just think he’s always under control. The way he portrays himself, that’s something he’s extremely good at and I do enjoy that about him. I try and give off the same energy,” Miller was quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

"Definitely, Dhoni is one of the best finishers ever; he’s proven it many times. I love watching him play.” Miller said. 

Source and full news: IC

MS Dhoni On Stump Mic: A Guiding Light With Wit Beyond Measure

MS Dhoni, India’s most successful captain was known to be a man of few words with a cultivated image of being ‘ice-cool’ at all times. But on the field, the man called ‘Mahi Bhai‘ by his teammates was at his witty best. Sometimes it was a humourous observation, while on other occasions his wisdom brought out the best among his fellow players.

Here’s a look back at some of the wittiest, cheekiest conversations that were recorded of MSD on the stump microphones –

Guiding light for Kul-Cha

Dhoni’s role in guiding youngsters is often talked about and it was evident when the Indian team’s two young wrist spinners, Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal, burst on to the scene.

The duo often looked to their keeper as a problem solver. Take, for example, the first ODI between India and Australia in September 2017 where the stump mic picked up Dhoni helping Yadav dismiss David Warner.

“Thoda peeche dalo (pull your length back a bit),” he kept telling Yadav, so that the chinaman could induce an edge by making the batsman play the cut shot. Astonishingly, that was exactly how Warner perished. After the match, Yadav revealed how Dhoni helped him plan the dismissal.

In the same encounter, Chahal was being milked for runs at the start of his spell. Realising that the Aussies could target the leggie, Dhoni asked him to keep it tight – Dande pe daal. (Bowl on the stumps).

When Chahal erred in his length, Dhoni promptly quipped “Tu bhi nahin sunta hai kya (You also won’t listen)?” As soon as Chahal altered his length, the voice from behind the stumps acknowledged it and said “Aise, aise dalo (bowl it like this).”

Chahal eventually had the better off Glen Maxwell.

Another example of Dhoni being an excellent reader of the game came in a video where he is heard anticipating the batsman’s next move and tells the bowler to make minute adjustments. To get rid off Lockie Ferguson, Dhoni asks Yadav to bowl from behind the crease making the batsman reach for the delivery. The batsman is beaten and Dhoni stumps the batsman as he inches out of the crease.

In the same innings, he gave Yadav a step-by-step guide on how to dismiss Trent Boult.

Dhoni is heard saying: “Ye rokega, dusri side se daal sakta hai. Yaha se andar nai ayegi.” (He will defend, try bowling from around the wicket.)

Kuldeep switches over to around the wicket and gets his man.

But with Dhoni behind the stumps there was also no shortage of wisecracks, streetsmart advice and at times, even a dig at Indian bowlers.

“Oy Sree! Udhar girlfriend nahin hai”

New Zealand were on top with the scorecard reading 391/5 during the first Test against India in Ahmedabad. Pragyan Ojha was the bowler and Kane Williamson was the batsman.

Dhoni, the master tactician was setting the field and asked Sreesanth to move a bit squarer. However, Sreesanth missed his captain’s direction to which Dhoni says, “Oye Sree girlfriend nahi hai udhar, idhar aaja thoda“(Sreesanth your girlfriend is not there, please come a little squarer).

R Ashwin and Dhoni had a code word between them and it was used to keep the batsman guessing. Whenever Dhoni wanted the off-spinner to surprise the batsman with the wrong-un (ulta), he would call for the “Tarak Mehta” inspired by the popular Hindi serial “Tarak Mehta Ka Ulta Chasmah’.

“Pujara ko udhar taali bajane nahi rakha hai”

During a Test match between India and New Zealand in 2014, Brendon McCullum and BJ Watling were batting. Jadeja, who had the ball in hand, was going for runs and this irked Dhoni.

“Jaddu thoda off mein daal. Pujara ko udhar taali bajane nahi rakha hai“(Jadeja bowl on the off stump. Pujara is not standing there to clap),” Dhoni is heard

Jadeja immediately changed his line and started bowling on the off-stump. On another occasion, Dhoni imitates a commentator’s description of Jadeja’s bowling, saying, “Bharpoor bowling ka pradarshan karte hue Ravindra Jadeja!”

Dhoni always backed his players no matter how tough the situation got. This time it was when India was facing Australia in 2012.

On day two of the second Test, seamer Ishant Sharma kept struggling with his line and length. It was either too short or too wide. Dhoni sensing trouble went up to Ishant and said, “Agar chauka gaya toh mera risk hai, tu bindaas daal. Tujhe agar ek fielder aur chahiye toh main bula lunga. Mujhe koi problem nahi hai.”(It’s on me if the ball gets hit for a boundary, you just bowl. I’ll place another fielder too if you want).

Not only did Sharma get better in the spell but also went on to pick up three wickets in the innings.

“Cheeku bowler mat bann”

In a match against England during the 2016 T20 World Cup, Virat Kohli was asked to roll his arm over as India went in with four bowlers. In his first over, Kohli managed to get Kevin Pietersen with a wide yorker.

An excited Kohli, after getting the wicket, started trying different variations. However, one was wide down the leg side and yielded byes as well.

Dhoni immediately walked up to Kohli and said: “Jitna bola hai utna kar, bowler mat bann” (Do what you are being told, don’t try to be a bowler).

There was never a dull moment with Dhoni behind the stumps and fans will be poorer for such banter in international cricket.

Check out full news item here

Friday, September 4, 2020

"Dhoni won it single-handedly": Javagal Srinath recalls first meeting MSD

Former India fast bowling legend Javagal Srinath recalled first time he met with MS Dhoni. It was right after the time that Srinath had announced his retirement from the sport back in 2003. Dhoni was part of the India A team that was scheduled to play a tri-series against Pakistan and Kenya. In a recent interaction, Srinath recalled how Dhoni led the team to win in every game, and smashed bowlers all around the park.

My first meeting with Dhoni was in 2003 post my career in Kenya. There was a triangular series between Kenya, India and Pakistan; in all the three league games all the way to the finals Dhoni won it single handedly,” Srinath told Ravichandran Ashwin on his chat show DRS with Ash.

At the end of it, the way he disdainfully played the spinners and fast bowlers as if he was playing school cricket,” the former fast bowler further added.

Speaking on Dhoni’s understanding of the game, Srinath described him as a ‘yogi’.  

MS Dhoni is a yogi in cricket. The way he has understood the game, his detachment to results. The way he speaks and conducts himself and on every victory, he holds the cup, the most prized cups, he hands it to someone else and walks away,” Srinath said.

"When he looks into all these things, when things are not going well on the pitch and the team is struggling, his composure and body language as if nothing has happened, he can only be a yogi to be such a wonderful cricketer,” he further added.

Reference: HT

Thursday, September 3, 2020

Humble MS Dhoni swaps business class seat with economy class passenger

MS Dhoni has won several hearts, both on and off the cricket field with his performances in a stellar international career and his down-to-earth attitude.

An example of his humble nature was seen recently when Dhoni, en route to the UAE for the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) with his Chennai Super Kings teammates, swapped his business class seat with an economy class passenger. Dhoni had apparently done so as the passenger's legs were 'too long' to fit in an economy class seat.

A Twitter user by the name of George uploaded a video of the flight claiming the same. The man claiming so looked like a CSK staffer himself. In the video, the former India captain is also seen having a chat with Suresh Raina and some of his other CSK teammates.

Detailed news: TOI

Saturday, August 29, 2020

Monty Panesar Recalls MS Dhoni's Sixes and Calls Him a Great Leader


Monty Panesar was talking about MS Dhoni:

“I think (when) Dhoni came into (the) reckoning was actually his hundred against Pakistan, when he was pulling Shoaib Akhtar for fours and sixes. We all were sitting and wondering - ‘Oh, how is he doing that?’” Panesar further added.

Panesar, most likely, was talking about Dhoni’s innings of 148 in Faisalabad Test in 2006 against Pakistan. It is so because when Dhoni smashed 148 in the 2005 ODI against Pakistan in Vizag, Akhtar was not playing.

“And then I remember bowling to him in Kolkata where he hit me for a six out of nowhere. It just went miles. Dhoni’s six-hitting ability is almost 20 meters further than the normal batsman,” the former England pacer added.

I think I always found MSD very calm, collected and he always seemed like life was going at a slow pace for him. It was like nothing was bothering him. It was his calm demeanor that was his strength. Not a lot of cricketers have this quality, but he had it throughout his whole career. I think that’s what makes him such a great, great leader,” Panesar signed off.

Source: HT

Monday, August 17, 2020

MS Dhoni: India's Baahubali Captain

Click to access the article on Rediff: 

India's Baahubali Captain

By SHREEKANT SAMBRANI

With Dhoni's Retirement, CSK Stock Price Sees Correction Too; But This is More Positive Than Negative For CSK

When Mahendra Singh Dhoni announced retirement from international cricket this past Saturday, unlisted shares of IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings (CSK), which he leads, saw a small correction in the unofficial market for trading in such shares. 

CSK shares have plunged over 10 per cent in the past couple of weeks and traded at Rs 48-50, coming down from Rs 52-55 in August first week. 

Dealers said the correction over the weekend was more of sentimental, and they are very confident about the prospects of the sports franchise in the long run, as the fundamentals remain strong. 

This is more positive than negative for CSK, as he will continue to play IPL. The team may capitalise this business opportunity over the next couple of seasons, contributing to more revenues,” said Sunil Chandak of Mumbai based Gennext Investrade, which deals in such shares. 

Dhoni will now be an exclusivity for IPL,” he said. “This might increase advertisement rates for matches of Chennai Super Kings. Everyone will tend to monetise the nostalgia associated with Dhoni.” 

The 13th edition of IPL kicks off on September 19, 2020. It is highly anticipated that the next edition will be held as per the normal schedule over March-May 2021, which may feature MS Dhoni once again. 

Source and full article: ET

MS Dhoni changed the game forever and captured the hearts of all India fans: Kevin Mitchell, The Guardian

The summer of 2005 will for ever be regarded as the most vivid in the memory of those who celebrated or suffered England’s victory in the Ashes to emerge from a sea of disappointment that at one point seemed to have no horizon. But England ending 18 years of subjugation by Australia was not the only entry of note in the following Wisden Almanack.

At Visakhapatnam on India’s sprawling eastern coast that April, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the son of a railway ticket collector from the north, hit the first of his 359 career sixes for India to build the foundations of a maiden one‑day century of such scintillating brilliance the Pakistan bowlers were reduced to hands-on-hips awe.

For the next 15 years, he would repeat his elegant, murderous hitting nearly everywhere he went, with lapses to remind us of his mortality, followed just as quickly by revivals, as if he were riding a wave beyond his control. And, when he was elevated to the captaincy of the one-day team then the Test side, expectations grew like a storm.

Yet Dhoni seemed not to buckle, as others sometimes did. Captaining India at cricket surely has the sharpest double-edged dividend in sport. It is a rarefied place that 33 players have been to since they joined the five Test-playing nations in 1932, and the leadership of such a volatile and passionate nation has broken some, elevated others. The price they have all paid is privacy and comfort. Sachin Tendulkar, famously, could go driving in his fancy car only in the middle of the night.

None has done the job more often or more successfully than Dhoni, the 31st so honoured, in Tests or the shorter forms: 60 Tests, 27 wins, 18 defeats and 15 draws; a mountainous 200 in one-day internationals, with 110 wins, 74 losses, five ties and 11 no-results for a winning return of 58% in completed games; and, in Twenty20 matches he captained India to 41 wins out of 72.

Those are just numbers, as is his Test average of 38.09, considered by some as paltry when compared with his contemporaries’. Dhoni, who played the last of his 90 Tests in 2014 (the same year Chris Gayle left Test matches behind), cared little for such details, and a lot for the end result, as well as the manner of its delivery.

His metier was over 50 and 20 overs, and, when on song, he created the sweetest symphonies. It is telling that he averaged 50.57 in 350 ODIs, and 37.60 in 98 Twenty20 games at the highest level. Dhoni epitomised the modern batsman and the modern game.

It has been an enthralling journey. As Dhoni plundered with the bat, and whipped bails away with the quickest gloves in the game since Bob Taylor, a billion Indians loved him for his often exasperating genius.

When he confirmed on Saturday that he was retiring from international cricket, it was as if the Ganges had burst its banks in a flood of uncontrolled emotion – even though, at 39, he looked to have timed his departure as perfectly as the six he hit to win the World Cup in 2011.

Indeed, he might have crafted his exit with telling symmetry, say his devoted followers. One even claimed he announced his retirement at 7.29pm his time on Instagram because it matched the same tick of the clock as the moment when the World Cup semi‑final lost to New Zealand ended last summer. Not quite – but close enough to buttress the legend.

Nevertheless, Dhoni always gave the impression of mastering his own rhythm, regardless of what was going on around him. Sometimes, it cost India victory; mostly it did not. He was as deadly a finisher as the Australian Michael Bevan according to Shane Warne, during the rain break in the second England-Pakistan Test at Southampton on Saturday.

As Nasser Hussain pointed out in that conversation: “This will be a massive, massive story in India. The only story in India.”

Indeed it was. And is. Soumya Bhattacharya, author and cricket writer, described eloquently why this would be so in his delightful 2006 love poem to the game, You Must Like Cricket? Memoirs Of An Indian Cricket Fan.

“You need to see us to really know the answer to that,” he writes in response to his book’s own question, “see us out on the streets in the afternoon heat, radiant faces shining through all the colours on this Sunday afternoon.”

The afternoon of which Bhattacharya spoke was the completion of India’s first ever Test win at Eden Gardens over Pakistan, earlier in that summer of 2005, a victory that preceded Dhoni’s explosive arrival. In his first appearance the previous year, he was run out for a first-ball duck against Bangladesh in Chittagong. But his recall was inevitable.

His career is not entirely over. Dhoni will resume playing next month for Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League, and is likely to build more hundreds there for a while yet.

He undoubtedly is worth his place at the top table of one-day players in the modern era, and there has been much social media chat about who should make an all-time XI, Dhoni or Adam Gilchrist. Both were so good with bat and gloves it would be odd to exclude either of them, even if it unbalanced a batting lineup.

Who would really care? They led the way for wicketkeeper-batsmen, setting impossibly high standards, and lifting cricket into a realm of one-day (or one-night) entertainment that seemed inconceivable in a previous generation. Now it is the centrepiece of cricket in most countries.

Those who know him best are in no doubt about Dhoni’s worth. “Winning the 2011 World Cup together has been the best moment of my life,” Tendulkar told him.

Hussain got it right too: “Probably the best white‑ball captain there has ever been. A great finisher. It wasn’t over until you got Dhoni out. A phenomenally calm, cool customer.”

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/aug/16/ms-dhoni-changed-the-game-forever-and-captured-the-hearts-of-all-india-fans


Sunday, August 16, 2020

15th of August, 2020: MS Dhoni Announces Retirement from International Cricket

Breaking the hearts of millions of fans, MS Dhoni announced retirement from international Cricket last evening. I can only say one thing, "Come back, Dhoni". 

Here are some of the news reports published about this news:

MS Dhoni retires from international cricket

"Consider Me Retired": MS Dhoni Announces End Of An Era

MS Dhoni announces retirement from international cricket

MS Dhoni retirement: Bollywood stars hail cricket icon

Wife Sakshi Singh Dhoni's Reaction To MS Dhoni's Retirement Announcement

Sakshi Dhoni Pens Emotional Tribute On MS Dhoni's Retirement, "Must Have Held Those Tears"

MS Dhoni retires |‘I realised this guy has power’: Irfan Pathan recalls his first memory of MSD

MS Dhoni retires: 5 world records the former India captain still holds

MS Dhoni retirement: 5 bold decisions of MSD that shocked everyone but won India matches

Dhoni retires from intl cricket; Shah, Sachin, Sourav among many to say 'end of an era'

MS Dhoni retires from international cricket after 535 matches for India

MS Dhoni announces retirement from international cricket

MS Dhoni retires; thanks fans for love and support

MS Dhoni retirement | ‘He groomed Virat Kohli’: Sunil Gavaskar explains why Dhoni is a ‘legend’

MS Dhoni retires from all international cricket

MS Dhoni retires: full coverage

MS Dhoni retirement leaves a void in world cricket

India legend MS Dhoni retires from international cricket with 39-year-old World Cup winner announcing his decision on Instagram

‘There will never be anyone like him’ — the tributes pour in as Dhoni retires

'Thank you MS Dhoni' - Reactions flood in as MSD announces retirement from international cricket

Indian cricket great MS Dhoni retires after 16-year international career

Thursday, August 6, 2020

Sam Billings Recalls Memories With MS Dhoni and CSK


England cricketer Sam Billings recalled his two-year stint with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and revealed how he struck a relationship with skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni over their love for Premier League club Manchester United.

Billings stated rubbing shoulders with some of the best Indian and foreign players in the CSK dressing room was a big learning curve for him, especially watching Dhoni from close quarters, as to how he approaches the game.

"For me, that experience, learning from those great players, the overseas guys but also the homegrown Indian stars. I mean, no bigger star than MS Dhoni in terms of my role that I want to fulfill," Billings told Cricbuzz in a video uploaded on their website.

"There is no better person to learn from than MSD. For me, it was great to pick his brains and enjoy the environment he has created there," he added.

Wednesday, August 5, 2020

MS Dhoni is that style of player that even presidents and prime ministers talk about him, says Dean Jones


Former Australian cricketer Dean Jones has seen Mahendra Singh Dhoni play from close quarters for the latter’s entire career span. Jones has been a cricket commentator and pundit during international matches and in theIPL and that has helped him analyse Dhoni’s game closely and he can’t wait for the former India captain to take to the field during the IPL in UAE after a long hiatus from cricket.

“Look I am a huge MS Dhoni fan. I think he is among the top 6 greatest cricketers of all time for India. If he has a good IPL and the other boys don’t then come the World Cup he might be looked at.

“So, it’s a big opportunity and knowing MS he will prepare himself to absolute perfection to get himself ready for this and I hope he does well,” Jones told Hindustan Times during an exclusive conversation.

Jones believes Dhoni has the rare ability of keeping the audience on tenterhooks due to his unpredictability both as a leader and as a batsman and that is what makes him an entertainer.

“What he does is he makes past players like myself and people to just move forward in their seats and watch how he goes about his cricket. There aren’t too many players who could do that. If you have gone to watch a match and MS is playing, people are always on the edge of their seats because they don’t know what he is going to do next.

“He is a great entertainer and I hope he will have a great IPL because I am looking forward to how he plays,” Jones said.

Asked about his favourite MS Dhoni moment, Deano spoke about the time when Pakistan’s former President General Pervez Musharraf complimented the wicket-keeper batsman on his long hair.

“Probably the hair cut in Pakistan. I was commentating and President Musharraf told him to keep the hair cut and said he looked good in it. He is that style of player that even presidents and prime ministers talk about him because he really captivates everyone,” Jones said.

In IPL, Dhoni has led the CSK team to three titles and five runners-up finishes. He lost another final with Rising Pune Supergiant.

Adam Gilchrist picks Dhoni as the best keeper among the list of greats


Adam Gilchrist is often credited for revolutionising the role of wicket-keeper’s in international cricket. Gilchrist who was a safe house behind the stumps, did a lot of damage with the bat in limited-overs cricket as an opener and also as a No.7 in Test cricket. The former Australia cricketer who is regarded as one of the best wicket-keepers to have ever played the game, ranked India’s MS Dhoni, Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara, New Zealand’s Brendon McCullum and South Africa’s Mark Boucher according to his preference and also chose the best among them.

Gilchrist picked Dhoni as the best keeper among the list of greats.

“Look it got to be Dhoni ...my name is Gilly not silly I understand I’m talking to an Indian with a lot of Indian supporters so of course, Dhoni’s up the top then Sangakara and Brendon (McCullum),” said Gilchrist in an interview with TV presenter Madonna Tixeira in her show ‘Live Connect’.

Dhoni is No.3 in the list of wicket-keepers with most dismissals behind Boucher and Gilchrist. The former India captain has 634 catches and 195 stumpings – the most – to his name as a keeper.

Along with his wicketkeeping skills, Dhoni is also rated as one of the best finishers of the game. He has 10,773 runs in ODIs at an average of 50.83. Under his leadership, India won the 2007 T20 World Cup, the 2011 ODI World Cup, and the 2013 Champions Trophy.

Speaking about Dhoni as a cricketer, Gilchrist said he loved watching the Indian keeper’s career develop.

“I have really loved watching his career develop. He came on the scene with this amazing 100 that just set everyone on loving him and following him and the style of Cricket that he played. But his rise to fame and fortune and everything and the expectation in a country like India that is passionate about so many things certainly Cricket. I think the way he handled himself was extraordinary,” Gilchrist said in his first Instagram interaction.

Tuesday, August 4, 2020

Rohit Sharma Calls MS Dhoni "One of a Kind Cricketer"


India’s limited-overs deputy Rohit Sharma plays down comparison with the legendary Mahendra Singh Dhoni and called the former India skipper ‘one of a kind’ cricketer. 

Rohit was responding to Suresh Raina’s views on the Super Over podcast, where he likened the former to MSD. “Yes, I heard about that comment from Suresh Raina,” Rohit said in a Twitter video he posted in reply to a fan question. “MS Dhoni is one of a kind and nobody can be like him and I believe comparisons should not be made like that, every individual is different and has his strengths and weaknesses.” 

Monday, August 3, 2020

MS Dhoni is a Pure Instinct Man: N Srinivasan

While speaking on Dhoni in the webinar, the former BCCI president N. Srinivasan revealed that the Ranchi-born wicket-keeper refrains himself from judging a cricketer on his stats. Instead, Dhoni focuses on seeing their performance in the nets or pressure situations to know about their calibre.

“So, MS Dhoni doesn’t attend this, he’s a pure instinct man. The bowling coach, (head coach Stephen) Fleming will be there and everybody will be there, everyone is giving opinions, (but) he’ll get up and go.

In the context of instinct, he feels that okay he can assess a batsman or player on the field, that’s his judgement. On the other hand, there is so much data that is available to help a person also analyse. It’s a very difficult line to draw (between data and instinct),” Srinivasan said.

Dhoni is one of the most successful captains in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL). He is the only skipper to have led his team in nine out of the 12 finals so far. Chennai Super Kings has won the T20 Trophy three times under Mahi’s leadership. He also has the record of winning the most number of matches as the captain for his team in the cash-rich league.


Sunday, August 2, 2020

Shahid Afridi Rates MS Dhoni as a Better Captain than Australia’s Ricky Ponting


Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi rated Dhoni as a better captain than Australia’s Ponting. Explaining the reasons behind opting for Dhoni, Afridi said the former India captain built a team with youngsters.

One of the fans asked: “Better captain Dhoni or Ponting? Lala choice?”. Afridi replied by saying: “I rate Dhoni a bit higher than Ponting as he developed a new team full of youngsters.” 

Hailed as the two of the most successful captains in the history of the game – Ponting and Dhoni have two World Cup titles to their name and have helped their respective teams to scale greater heights. It was Dhoni who led India to victory in the inaugural edition of T20 World Cup in 2007 before claiming the prestigious 50-over World Cup in 2011. He remains the only captain to win all major ICC trophies (50-over World Cup, T20 World Cup, and Champions Trophy).

Tuesday, July 28, 2020

Gautam Gambhir Says MS Dhoni Should Keep Playing



Gauam Gambhir, who played a lot of cricket with Dhoni, said, "Age is just a number, I think if you are in a very good form, if you are hitting the ball really well.

"MS Dhoni, if he is hitting the ball really well, if he is very good form, if he is enjoying the game and if he thinks that he can still win the game for the country at that number -- especially at six and seven."

Dhoni led the country in limited-overs formats from 2007 to 2016 and in Test cricket from 2008 to 2014. He is the only captain to win all ICC trophies, including the World T20 in 2007, ODI World Cup in 2011 and the ICC Champions Trophy in 2013.

Monday, July 27, 2020

MS Dhoni is a unique human being: Dinesh Karthik



India wicketkeeper and Kolkata Knight Riders captain Dinesh Karthik said MS Dhoni had a unique style of batting and wicketkeeping but his bullish nature of his technique helped him carve a niche in international cricket.

Speaking to sports presenter Radhakrishnan Sreenivasan in his YouTube show, Dinesh Karthik recalled his initial impressions of MS Dhoni.

"I think he handled the pressure very well. He was a pretty unique human being, in the sense he has his own way of doing things," Karthik said.

"When I got selected in the A series, he was part of the team. We travelled together. He had his own way. He was coming from Bihar at that time, he had done well for the stage. It was Dilip Vengsarkar who spotted his talent. He was a little unique with his batting and keeping. But he was very strong about his technique and very bullish about his technique and then carved a niche for himself in the forthcoming years."

Sunday, July 26, 2020

MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings Could Travel Early to UAE for IPL 2020

The MS Dhoni led Chennai Super Kings will be the first team to travel to United Arab Emirates for the Indian Premier League 2020, according to a report in Gulf News.

While most teams are expected to reach UAE by August 20, CSK could head there in the second week of August to acclimatise to conditions and prepare for the tournament.

CSK were the runners-up last season, having lost to Mumbai Indians in a thrilling final. Interestingly, CSK had kick-started their preparations early in March this year before the tournament was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some key players have been training individually as well. Most notably, Suresh Raina has been hitting the nets frequently along with the likes of Piyush Chawla and Rishabh Pant and posting updates on social media.

Source: News18

Kiran More Recalls MS Dhoni's Journey and Says "Dhoni Is Very Smart"


Kiran More: 

"Rahul Dravid was then keeping wickets, and we were looking for a wicket-keeper-batsman who could score runs at No 6 or 7, and that is what we found in Dhoni.

We thought he was the right guy to give an opportunity and he grabbed it with both hands.

If Dhoni had not done well with the opportunities he was given, then we would be back to square one.

Dhoni came in pretty late into the team, not in the early days of his career.

He had something different about him, he had a good reading of the game.

You could see even then that he was a match-winner. I still remember he scored 60-odd for East Zone against North Zone in the Duleep Trophy final. He batted fearlessly, but at the same time he batted smartly.

I remember I went to Jamshedpur to see him bat in a game, he scored 130 something in that match against Odisha.

And when you saw him, you immediately knew that he was something special.

So we then picked him for the India 'A' tour for the limited overs matches in Narobi. He went there and dominated the whole series with his attacking batting. Then we gave him an opportunity to play for India, so that was his journey.

He worked hard to reach where he did, he understood what was needed in international cricket.

After he got that first century for India (against Pakistan in an ODI at Vishakapatnam in 2005) he never looked back.

He became an integral part of the team, he was part of the discussions in team meetings, he also gave his suggestions to coach and captain, so you could see that he had a brilliant cricketing mind.

We knew that he had a good reading of the game, which is common with all wicket-keepers. He understood the conditions very well, he knew which bowlers to use at which time.

Dhoni was very smart. He picked up a lot of things quickly when he came into the Indian team and he progressed really fast and went on to become the captain.

I remember (then coach) Greg Chappell told us back then that Dhoni will one day become the captain of India.

He got his chance in the 2007 World T20 when the top players didn't go and India won the World Cup under his superb captaincy. Ao he made an instant impact as the captain."

Wednesday, July 8, 2020

Sourav Ganguly wanted Dhoni to bat up the order


Mahendra Singh Dhoni went on to become one of the best finishers in the game but on his 39th birthday, former India captain Sourav Ganguly said the World Cup winning skipper would have been even more lethal if he batted higher in the order.

"He's one of the great players of world cricket, not just a finisher. Everyone talks about the way he finishes lower down the order. I always believed that he should bat up the order because he was so destructive," Ganguly said in a chat show hosted by young India opener Mayank Agarwal on BCCI's Twitter handle.

Source: TOI

Saturday, July 4, 2020

Happy Marriage Anniversary Mr. and Mrs. Dhoni!

10 years ago, on this day (July 4th), India Cricket Captain MS Dhoni and his dream girl Sakshi got married. Sakshi Dhoni has posted below picture of their small and happy family on this occasion:


We wish our idol MS Dhoni and Sakshi our best wishes on this occasion. Happy Marriage Anniversary! 

Wednesday, July 1, 2020

MS Dhoni an incredible person, hope he continues to play as long as he can: Michael Hussey


Former Australia and Chennai Super Kings batsman Michael Hussey backed MS Dhoni to continue playing for as long as he can, saying he wishes the World Cup winner carries on for another 10 years.

"He's been an incredible person and player for CSK and India for so long. We hope he keeps playing for another 10 years. Hopefully, he can play for as long as he can," Hussey said during an online interaction for Sony Ten Pit Stop.

"I love MS as the captain. I love how calm he is and how much he backs his players and shows so much faith in his players. Obviously he is very astute from a tactical point of view. Certain moves he makes... you wonder where he is going with it but it's amazing how often it sort of comes true and works out in his favour.

"Also batting with him in the middle in tight run-chases, it's amazing to see how calm he is and how calculated he is. Always wanting to be there in the middle till the last over of the game."

"Those 2 (Hussey and Dhoni) together, they complement each other so well. They share a very good relationship, a mutual respect there. They both are very good thinkers of the game, very shrewd and very smart. They both work very well together," Hussey said.

Source: IT

Tuesday, June 9, 2020

MS Dhoni Saves a Bird's Life in Ranchi; Daughter Is Happy


Source: Dainik Jagran, New Delhi, 10-June-2020 

VVS Laxman Praises MS Dhoni


VVS Laxman played his cricket with a lot honesty and he shows the same values now in his role as a cricket pundit. On Tuesday he took to Twitter and heaped praise on former India captain MS Dhoni.

Blessed with the rare equanimity of viewing cricket as a sport and not a matter of life and death, @msdhoni’s calling card was composure, especially under pressure. The 2007 World T20 triumph catalysed the stirring captaincy saga of a leader who talked through his deeds,” Laxman wrote on Twitter. 

Laxman is someone who played with Dhoni during the wicket-keeper-batsman’s initial years in the Indian team and then played under his captaincy. He is someone who has seen Dhoni operate from close quarters and in fact seen him change the face of Indian cricket with memorable victories.

Sunday, May 31, 2020

Virat Kohli Recalls How He Earned MS Dhoni’s Trust For India Captaincy


Virat Kohli on Saturday said his elevation to captaincy has a lot to do with Mahendra Singh Dhoni keenly observing his cricket smarts for six-seven long years. Kohli started his international career under the captaincy of Dhoni before taking over the reins of Team India. 

“I think a large portion of me becoming captain was also to do with him (MSD) observing me for a long period of time. It just can’t happen like he goes and selectors say ‘you become captain’,” Kohli replied to a specific question on the process of becoming the leader of the team.

“The guy who is there, he takes responsibility and says okay I think this is the next guy and I will tell you how he is going and then slowly that transition is formed.”

“I think he played a big role in that and that trust you have to build over, say six seven years, it just doesn’t happen overnight,” Kohli said.

The transition happened when Kohli would station himself at the first slip and pick Dhoni’s brains on tactical moves. “I was always in MS’s (Dhoni) ears, standing next to him, ‘yeh kar sakte ho, woh kar sakte ho (can we try these things), what do you think, he would deny a lot of things but he would discuss a lot of things as well, so he got a lot of confidence that I can do this (captain) after him,” the skipper said.

Monday, May 18, 2020

Mohammad Kaif says Dhoni Needed More Freedom


Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif feels that Yograj Singh’s allegations against MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli regarding his son Yuvraj are baseless to a large extent. Recently, Yograj has blamed Dhoni, Kohli and Team India selectors for betraying Yuvraj.

Mohammad Kaif, who played 13 Tests and 125 ODIs for India, lauded Dhoni and said that the veteran stumper needed some freedom to make choices relating to team selection. Kaif was clear cut in saying that Dhoni didn’t resort to tactics like ‘favouritism’.

“Dhoni is the most successful white-ball cricket captain. He deserves some freedom to select his own team. You can question him when he fails to deliver. But his records are spectacular. He won many trophies for India. So, the selectors will give the freedom and values his suggestions. It will not become favouritism,” he added.

Dhoni took over as Team India captain in the 2007 edition of the T20 World Cup. He tasted immediate success in South Africa and was soon given the mantle in ODI and Test cricket as well. From there, the Ranchi-born cricketer didn’t look back. He not only flourished as the captain but also piled on runs with authority. 

Sunday, May 17, 2020

Wriddhiman Saha Praises MS Dhoni


Team India cricketer Wriddhiman Saha only got the chance to play one Test match with veteran wicketkeeper-batsman MS Dhoni. However, this did not stop Saha from showing praises over the former Team India skipper's qualities.

During a recent interview with a popular news outlet, Saha claimed didn't replace MS Dhoni in the Indian Test side but instead got a chance to play more frequently after his retirement.

The 35-year old then went to explain how MS's presence never demotivated him instead, he tried learning from the veteran cricketer.

"His keeping or batting style, his stumping in fraction of seconds, there are a lot of things to learn. He 2-4 years older to me, I was knowing that if MS Dhoni is playing I will not get to play," he said.

Source: DNA

Thursday, May 14, 2020

Shikhar Dhawan Picks MS Dhoni As His Favourite Captain


Shikhar Dhawan on Wednesday picked MS Dhoni as his favourite captain. Dhawan revealed this during a rapid-fire round with former Indian bowler Irfan Pathan on an Instagram Live video session. 

"I have only played under Virat and Dhoni, so, as of now, Dhoni bhai," Shikhar Dhawan said in the video. 


Saturday, May 9, 2020

MS Dhoni started India’s fitness revolution: English Coach Peter Wellings


The name Peter Wellings may not ring a bell immediately, but when it comes to defining new-age sports coaching and how little things like attention-to-detail matter, the Englishman is right at the forefront of it.

"MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli changed the landscape of Indian fielding," Wellings says in an exclusive chat. MS Dhoni started the fielding revolution in Indian cricket, especially after England won a Test series 2-1 in India in 2012. England were much better in the field and Dhoni was really crossed because guys were stopping the ball with their feet and stuff. So he said 'right, we're going to change the culture.'

"And now just look how strong India have become. They've got the best white-ball batsman in the world; they have the best white-ball bowler in the world. And arguably, you've got the best fielder in the world in Ravindra Jadeja. Him and Stokes are probably the two best in the world right now."

Source: HT

Friday, May 8, 2020

Michael Hussey compares MS Dhoni with Ricky Ponting


Former Australia player Michael Hussey feels former India skipper MS Dhoni strategically reads the game slightly better than Australia's World Cup winning captain Ricky Ponting.

Michael Hussey was part of Australia squad which won three ICC tournaments the 2007 World Cup and the 2006 and 2009 Champions Trophy under Ponting and also played a key role in MS Dhoni led CSK's IPL success.

"If we had the worst nets in the world that we have to practice on, he (Ricky Pointing) will be the first one into the net and show that it's okay. He really leads from the front and he certainly backs his players 100%. That's probably where the similarity is with MS Dhoni," Hussey added.

"MS is a lot calmer. A lot more measured. And I would say he strategically reads the game slightly better than Ricky. Ricky was a good tactician as well. Fantastic, but the way MS makes some moves out there in the field, I'll be sort of thinking "where’s he going with this?” Inevitably it might work. How did this come from? He just backs his gut feel. Two different captains but both very effective in their own ways," Hussey explained.

Thursday, May 7, 2020

Matthew Hayden Recalls MS Dhoni's Reaction on Controversial Mongoose Bat


Former Australian opener Matthew Hayden created a new sensation, when he first introduced the ‘mongoose bat’ in the Indian Premier League (IPL), a decade ago.

The Mongoose bat comes with a long handle and a short, bottom-heavy blade, tailor made for the shortest format. Designed and manufactured by the British company Mongoose, this was one of the innovations that accompanied the inception of cricket’s shortest format, the T20. Its handle is 43 per cent longer, and the blade is one-third the size of regular blades, thus allowing for maximum attack with minimum effort.

Many experts felt that it would take a lot of time to get accustomed to the changed size and bat speed. Added the fact that it was virtually impossible to use this bat in Tests or even ODIs, the bat found few takers on the international front. This is the reason why the invention that created much ado in 2010, disappeared without noise in merely a year or two. It’s brand ambassador Matthew Hayden did not play an IPL after that year, and the bat didn’t find other volunteers willing to experiment.

In a recent chapter on CSK’s live interaction with presenter Rupha Ramani, Hayden recalled an incident when team skipper MS Dhoni was skeptical about the use of it.

“It’s hard to give perpsective on the mongoose bat. I get a lot of questions about this product. From player’s point of view, they often ask how can you use half a bat. I remember MS Dhoni saying, ‘mate, I will give you anything in life you want not to use this bat. Please do not use this bat’,” Hayden revealed. 

Hayden, however, then assured his captain that he’s confident about the striking power of the bat and had done his homework pretty well.

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Australia Keeper Alex Carey Keen to Emulate MS Dhoni’s Path


In a recent Instagram Live chat, Australia wicketkeeper-batsman Alex Carey expressed his admiration for the legendary Indian glovesman and spoke about how he’s keen to finish off games for Australia, akin to how Dhoni has done for Team India in the past.

If you ask any cricketer, they would love to play like MS Dhoni. He’s probably the best at that role. I’d love to become half as good as him,” the 29-year-old Carey said

Carey also spoke about emulating the former Indian captain’s finishing skill. “I’d love to have the calm to take it deep and finish off T20, ODI games for Australia and even in the BBL. It was pretty hard to play against him since he would never get out, but yes I’d love to become half as good as him.”

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Footballer Anirudh Thapa Praises MS Dhoni


Indian footballer Anirudh Thapa, during a live session, talked about former Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni. The Chennaiyin FC midfielder lauded MS Dhoni for his humble personality and hailed his cricket career. 

"He's my favourite cricketer. He led the Indian team, won the World Cup after 28 years.. all-time successful wicketkeeper-batsman! What can I say about him!" Thapa began.

"The good thing about him is that whenever he's around, he would always sit with us at the team lunch and share his experiences with us. He's a very down to earth guy. Whenever someone used to call him, he was like 'no, let me talk to the boys here'. He used to talk about his cricket journey, his struggles, what he did and where he is."

"He would tell us about the feeling when they won the world cup (in 2011). That is something I will always embrace. He is a nice guy and a humble man. Whenever he is around, he is always talking to the boys. 

"Whatever he has done, how successful he is, we can all see that. So hats off to you, Thala!"

Monday, May 4, 2020

Yuzvendra Chahal Misses MS Dhoni


Indian spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, on Sunday, shared a throwback picture with 'legend' Mahendra Singh Dhoni saying that he misses 'being called tilli from behind the stumps'.

Chahal took to Twitter to share a picture with Dhoni and captioned the post: "Miss being called tilli from behind the stumps by the legend..!!"

Source: Rediff

Sunday, May 3, 2020

Rishabh Pant Praises MS Dhoni, Calls him His Mentor


Calling MS Dhoni his mentor, wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant says the World Cup-winning skipper has his own way of helping the younger crop as he never provides a full solution to a problem, encouraging them to look for answers.

"He (Dhoni) has been like a mentor to me, on and off the field. I can approach him freely with any problem I may be facing, and he will never give me the entire solution for it," Pant said in an Instagram live session with his IPL team Delhi Capitals.

"This is so that I don't become entirely dependent on him, he gives me hints only that helps me solve the issue myself. He's also one of my favourite batting partners, though it's not something that happens too often.

"If Mahi bhai is at the crease, you know things are sorted. He's got a plan in his head, and all you need to do is follow it!"

Saturday, May 2, 2020

S Badrinath on MS Dhoni’s Mental Toughness


Subramaniam Badrinath who has launched a mental conditioning platform explains what makes the Chennai Super Kings skipper so strong mentally.

"For me, the epitome of mind skills training is MS Dhoni. Whenever I saw him with his captaincy, the way he approaches the game. I think he is the ultimate, the one guy who does not need any mind skill training. I think people can learn from him because he has maximised his potential into results. Whatever he is doing I think he is totally detached. That’s what helps him as well", said Badrinath. 

"We talk about pressure, media, what people are going to write, we talk about everything. He is not bothered about anything else. He completely believes that whatever he is doing is right. That is the approach everybody needs to have. I would like to say that just do what Dhoni is doing as a cricketer. He is totally detached from everything automatically. When he is going out there, going about the business, it feels as though the 50,000 people watching him are not there. He is alone, he knows clearly in his mind what he needs to do, and he goes about it", said Badrinath. 

Source: Indian Express