MS Dhoni - The most successful captain of India

[VinodKumar's]

:ty: Mods.

[BM]

Dhoni gets engaged to school friend Sakshi

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Saturday got engaged to his school-time friend Sakshi Singh Rawat at a hotel in Dehradun.

"Dhoni and his school friend Sakshi got engaged at hotel Bhagirath in Dehradun," a close family friend said.

"Besides, the family members of Dhoni, a few close friends of the cricketer were present during the engagement ceremony," he added.

Dhoni, 28, and Rawat had been school friends at DAV, Shamily in Ranchi.

"Their fathers worked together in MECON, and the Rawats moved to Dehradun after retirement," the friend said.

Asked whether any date for marriage has been fixed, he said, "Not yet, maybe after the Australian series."

http://cricket.rediff.com/report/2010/jul/03/mahendra-singh-dhoni-gets-engaged-to-sakshi.htm

[BM]

:clap: :clap: :clap:

[ajaybaskar]

BM,

You r so fast.. :-)

Dhonikkum avaroda rasigarukkum (Maddy) orey nerathula nalla vishayam nadakkudhu...

:clap:

[Sourav]

Congrats Dhoni! :D :thumbsup:

[MADDY]

Dhoni got engaged-a :shock:

wow, super..........school friend amidst all lakshmi rais and deepikas.........As Ganesh in VTV says "ninnuttan da, andha payyan en manasula ninnutaan da" :bow:


Dhonikkum avaroda rasigarukkum (Maddy) orey nerathula nalla vishayam nadakkudhu...

:lol:

[VinodKumar's]

Congrats MSD.

[sathya_1979]

Congrats Mr. Cool :D

[Siv.S]

Congrats Dhoni! :2thumbsup:


As Ganesh in VTV says "ninnuttan da, andha payyan en manasula ninnutaan da" :lol:

[littlemaster1982]

[html:1affd84bfc]http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PRhQgCPVxR0/TC99nkcdjLI/AAAAAAAAAUI/eiFd5gJDCfA/s400/dhonis-latest-girlfriend-sakshi-singh-rawat.jpg[/html:1affd84bfc]

Congrats Dhoni :thumbsup:

[sathya_1979]

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PRhQgCPVxR0/TC99nkcdjLI/AAAAAAAAAUI/eiFd5gJDCfA/s400/dhonis-latest-girlfriend-sakshi-singh-rawat.jpg

Congrats Dhoni :thumbsup:
Cine actress vida indha poNNu nallaave irukku.

[ajaybaskar]

Being a bike lover, Dhoni would very well know that buying a second hand vehicle will always be a problem.

[ajaybaskar]

Breaking News: Dhoni to get married in the next 48 hrs.

BCCI chief Shashaank Manohar, Actor John Abraham reach Dehradun to grace the occasion.

[BM]

Breaking News: Dhoni to get married in the next 48 hrs.

BCCI chief Shashaank Manohar, Actor John Abraham reach Dehradun to grace the occasion.

:shock:

[Kalyasi]

Vaazhthukkal MSD!!

[raghavendran]

innaikku kalyanam...vazhtukkal MSD
ungal thambathiye vazhkai malarattum :D

[19thmay]

Dhoni got engaged-a :shock:

wow, super..........school friend amidst all lakshmi rais and deepikas.........As Ganesh in VTV says "ninnuttan da, andha payyan en manasula ninnutaan da" :bow:


Dhonikkum avaroda rasigarukkum (Maddy) orey nerathula nalla vishayam nadakkudhu...

:lol:

pOchu, the emotional bond between Sudhir and Dhoni got further fevicoled... :lol2:

Anyway congrats Dhoni, saaksi vara neram India ulaga kOpai vellatum.

[raghavendran]

Dhoni got engaged-a :shock:

wow, super..........school friend amidst all lakshmi rais and deepikas.........As Ganesh in VTV says "ninnuttan da, andha payyan en manasula ninnutaan da" :bow:


Dhonikkum avaroda rasigarukkum (Maddy) orey nerathula nalla vishayam nadakkudhu...

:lol:

pOchu, the emotional bond between Sudhir and Dhoni got further fevicoled... :lol2:

:lol: ...enne oru co incidence...dhonikku maddy marriage julylennu news poirkkum..adhan avasarma kalyanam pannikraaru

[BM]

Congrats Dhoni :clap:

[leosimha]

WOW....Dhoni getting married in 2 days....Congrats Dhoni....wish you more success after marriage... :)

[Sourav]

Know all facts about MS Dhoni

• Born in Ranchi, Bihar (now in Jharkhand) to Pan Singh and Devaki Devi on July 7, 1981. Paternal village Lvali is in the Lamgarha block of the Almora district of Uttarakhand
• Father Pan Singh worked in junior management positions in MECON.
• Has a sister Jayanti and a brother Narendra
• Sported long hair which he has now shortened, despite the then Pak President Pervez Musharraf wanting him not to do so!. He cut it because he wanted to look like his favourite film star John Abraham. Now, it emerges that this was Sakshi's 'decision'!
• Loves bikes. Has a Hummer to add to the four cars and 23 high-speed motorcycles already parked in his garage in Ranchi.
• Endorses 20 brands form clothes to soft drinks. Only Shah Rukh Khan (21) endorses more brands.
• Is one of the highest income tax payers in last year
• Is a fan of Adam Gilchrist. His childhood idols were batting mestro Sachin lTendulkar, Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan and singer Lata Mangeshkar.
• Studied at DAV Jawahar Vidya Mandir, Shyamali, in Ranchi. (Now the school is known as JVM, Shyamli). Apparently, Sakshi studied in the same school too.
• Initially excelled in badminton and football and was selected at district and club level in these sports. Was a goalkeeper for his football team and was sent to play cricket for a local cricket club by his football coach.
• Married his childhood friend, and girlfriend of two years, Sakshi Singh Rawat, 23, on July 4, 2010 at farmhouse 25 kilomtres off Dehradun

CRICKET CAREER

• Was a regular wicketkeeper at the Commando cricket club (1995-1998).
• Based on his performance at club cricket, was picked for the 1997/98 season Vinoo Mankad Trophy Under-16 Championship and he performed well
• Debuted for Bihar in 1998-99 season
• Was selected to represent India-A for a tour to Kenya in 2004
• Made in India debut against Bangaldesh in Dhaka in December 2004. Was run out for a duck
• Set a world record for the highest score in the second innings in ODIs when he scored 183* against Sri Lanka in October 2005. It is the highest score ever by a wicketkeeper
• In December 2005, was awarded a B-grade contract by the BCCI. Earlier, he was at C-grade level
• Made Test debut against Sri Lanka in Chennai in December 2005
• Became No 1 ODI batsman on 20 April, 2006, replacing Ricky Ponting. Lasted for just one week at that spot
• Scored ducks in losses against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka as India crashed out of 2007 World Cup in March 2007. Had to be given police security in Ranchi
• Was given an A grade contract in June 2007
• Was named ODI vice-captain on tour of England in June 2007
• On September 2, equalled Gilchrist's record of most dismissals in an ODI (5 catches, 1 stumping)
• Was named captain of the Indian team for the World T20 in September 2007
• Made his Test captaincy debut against South Africa in April 2008 as Anil Kumble was injured
• Resumed full-time Test captaincy in November 2008 in the third Test against Australia at Nagpur
[tscii:15db47cf94][/tscii:15db47cf94]

[ajaybaskar]

Kalayanam mudinjudha illaiya? Nethu fulla veetla illai. So couldnt track the updates..

[raghavendran]

Kalayanam mudinjudha illaiya? Nethu fulla veetla illai. So couldnt track the updates..marrigae over i suppose..nethu night..black shravanile dhoni kalakirkaar

[viraajan]

:shock: :shock: :shock:

Last night was when I came to know that it was Dhoni's marriage yesterday. Never knew this before. I was shocked and surprised.

Anyway, Best wishes Dhoni :clap: :clap:

Mayilsami: appa, lakshmi rai'Oda vaazhkai :shock: :shock:

[Plum]

idhulayum twenty 20 maadhiri slog overs-la suddenA attack paNNi velaiya mudichuttAr Dhoni!

Congrats Dhoni, and Dhoni fan Maddy - ennA oru bandham, ennA oru bandham.

[VinodKumar's]

:shock: :shock: :shock:

Last night was when I came to know that it was Dhoni's marriage yesterday. Never knew this before. I was shocked and surprised.

Anyway, Best wishes Dhoni :clap: :clap:

Mayilsami: appa, lakshmi rai'Oda vaazhkai :shock: :shock:

:lol:

[Dinesh84]

Congrats Dhoni.. :clap:

[Plum]

:shock: :shock: :shock:

Last night was when I came to know that it was Dhoni's marriage yesterday. Never knew this before. I was shocked and surprised.

Anyway, Best wishes Dhoni :clap: :clap:

Mayilsami: appa, lakshmi rai'Oda vaazhkai :shock: :shock:

:lol:



I am very happy for my friend Dhoni. When a Cricketer is close friends with an actress, such rumours are inevitable but I have always maintained that we were close friends *only*. Dhoni has told me about Sakshi, and obviously, I kept it in wraps - even when the rumours were goind around linking me and Dhoni - just to respect Dhoni's wishes to keep it confidential.

[Plum]

Dhoni weds. India goes on strike in protest (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_nKH9nin0iZw/TDGA1uGIBtI/AAAAAAAABLg/1y2h2-4HSTE/s1600/MS+Dhoni+Marriage+Response.jpg)

:lol:

[Madhu Sree]

ennaaaadhu :shock: :shock: :shock:

[ajaybaskar]

Somebody ban this NI media.. Headlines today peeps into the room the couple shared after their wedding and shows the bed.. Thank god! The couple had already left the pLace.. :evil:

[Plum]

Somebody ban this NI media.. Headlines today peeps into the room the couple shared after their wedding and shows the bed.. Thank god! The couple had already left the pLace.. :evil:
:thoo: maanangetta media!

[sathya_1979]

Somebody ban this NI media.. Headlines today peeps into the room the couple shared after their wedding and shows the bed.. Thank god! The couple had already left the pLace.. :evil:
:thoo: maanangetta media!
nalla vELai, running commentary kodukkala. "Idho sattai vandhu vizhudhu, idho pant vandhu vizhudhu" :banghead:

[BM]

[tscii:fdb0cebf72]SRK @ Hindustan Times Leadership Summit, "If the media is too intrusive and tries to get into your bedroom, then you need to make sure you have big walls and no windows in your bedroom.” :P
[/tscii:fdb0cebf72]

[raghavendran]

Somebody ban this NI media.. Headlines today peeps into the room the couple shared after their wedding and shows the bed.. Thank god! The couple had already left the pLace.. :evil:yes naanum parthen....thu :evil:

[ajaybaskar]

Thambi,

Yean postai paathuttuthaane odi poyi paatha? Unnaya maadhiri aalunga irukkuradhunaalathaan ippadi panraanga! :lol:

[Plum]

Anand Ramachandran a.k.a Bosey in top form (http://www.cricinfo.com/page2/content/story/466128.html)



Dhoni has gone ahead and participated in this unofficial wedding without informing the BCCI. We have no hesitation in banning any player who takes part in such rebel weddings, which are not recognised by the BCCI. I'm afraid MS Dhoni will not be permitted to be the groom at any weddings hereafter - whether domestic or international," said BCCI president Shashank Manohar, ably demonstrating that while Lalit Modi may be persona non grata in the BCCI, his spirit lives on in the board's delightful processes and policies

:lol:


Manohar also clarified that Suresh Raina, RP Singh and HS Plaha will be banned from marrying anyone in future - leaving only each other as prospective partners. Not cool.

:rotfl:


Srikkanth also denied that there was anything to be read into his not being invited to the wedding. "As a selector I understand the need to omit deserving individuals - just ask Cheteshwar Pujara. So it's all cool," he said, before dashing off to prevent Mohinder Amarnath from breaking into joyous song.

:rotfl2:


"Any high-profile wedding will take away at least 17 or 18 people from the Commonwealth Games viewership. This is not something we can afford," complained Kalmadi. "In fact, it's the BCCI's duty to help make the Commonwealth Games a success. I implore them to help grow TV audiences for the CWG by organising an India-Sri Lanka series to coincide with the games, thus driving millions of people to watch athletics, gymnastics, kabaddi and my speeches - all infinitely more exciting, you will agree


:rotfl3:

[Thirumaran]

Somebody ban this NI media.. Headlines today peeps into the room the couple shared after their wedding and shows the bed.. Thank god! The couple had already left the pLace.. :evil:
:thoo: maanangetta media!
nalla vELai, running commentary kodukkala. "Idho sattai vandhu vizhudhu, idho pant vandhu vizhudhu" :banghead:

atha tamil media like Sun TV and nakeeran seyyum.. example ungalukkae theriyum :)

[sathya_1979]

ya ya! Enakku mattum illa tamizhnaattula ellaarukkum theriyum, prime time breaking news dhaane adhu :D

[VinodKumar's]

:bluejump: :redjump: Happy B'day Mahendra Singh(am) Dhoni :bluejump: :redjump:

[html:50515e24e9]
http://static.cricketnext.com/pix/slideshow/09-2008/who-is-better/dhoni-champ_b.jpg
[/html:50515e24e9]

[Sourav]

Happy B'day MSD... :D :cheer: menmelum pala vettrigalai kuvikka vaazhthukkal... :2thumbsup:

[VinodKumar's]

:ty: Nov

[ajaybaskar]

சென்னையின் சூப்பர் கிங் தோனிக்கு இனிய பிறந்தநாள் வாழ்த்துக்கள்!!!

[Kalyasi]

Happy B'day MSD!!!

[leosimha]

Many Many Happy Returns of the Day...Mahendra Singh Dhoni... :)

[Dinesh84]

Happy B'day MSD! :D

[Plum]

A funny reaction from my friend:

Me: Dhoni married a girl called Sakshi Rawat
Friend: ennadhu, TV-la suyamvaram nadathichE andha poNNA? oru balle balle singer kooda kiss adichAnE?
Me: Dei adhu Rakhi SawantdA puNNakku :evil:

[leosimha]

^^^^^^^^^^
:lol: :rotfl: :lol: :rotfl:

[Sourav]

[tscii:420c933201]
Dhoni honoured with Madras Cricket Club membership

Saturday, July 10, 2010
© Cricket Nirvana
Share

Madras Cricket Club conferred Indian captain MS Dhoni with an honorary membership for his contribution to the Indian cricket and accepting the honour, Dhoni said he was proud of being associated with the 146-year-old club, rich in heritage.

"I am extremely happy and privileged to be a member of this historic age-old club, which has an history of supporting games and sport. I cherish happy memories of this venue (Chepauk Stadium) where I made my Test debut in 2005.

"I am privileged to be amongst many stalwarts who have shone in Indian sports, including cricket," said Dhoni.

The charismatic wicketkeeper batsman joined a glittering list of sportspersons like Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Sachin Tendulkar, Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupati, Vishwanathan Anand and Chennai born former England skipper Nasser Hussain, who have the honour bestowed upon them.

Dhoni, who, on Saturday, would leave for Sri Lanka to join his team for the three-Test series and the subsequent tri-series also involving New Zealand, was also felicitated by his IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings for leading them to the title victory in IPL-3.

While Dhoni credited Chennai’s IPL success to the contribution of local players and the support from the fans in Tamil Nadu, co owner of the franchise, N Srinivasan said Dhoni’s leadership was the reason behind CSK’s success.

"Support that the Super Kings received from its fans was noteworthy besides the stupendous individual performances for the team cause by Tamil Nadu players in the team," Dhoni said.

“The achievements of CSK was due to the excellent leadership and management skills of Dhoni," Srinivasan said.

L Balaji, Hemang Badani and R Ashwin were among CSK players who attended the function.
http://content.cricketnirvana.com/news/international/2010/july/news-20100710-152.html
csk/dhoni fans yaarum intha news paakalaiya.... :o[/tscii:420c933201]

[VinodKumar's]

[tscii:786c6384b0]
Dhoni honoured with Madras Cricket Club membership

Saturday, July 10, 2010
© Cricket Nirvana
Share

Madras Cricket Club conferred Indian captain MS Dhoni with an honorary membership for his contribution to the Indian cricket and accepting the honour, Dhoni said he was proud of being associated with the 146-year-old club, rich in heritage.

"I am extremely happy and privileged to be a member of this historic age-old club, which has an history of supporting games and sport. I cherish happy memories of this venue (Chepauk Stadium) where I made my Test debut in 2005.

"I am privileged to be amongst many stalwarts who have shone in Indian sports, including cricket," said Dhoni.

The charismatic wicketkeeper batsman joined a glittering list of sportspersons like Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Sachin Tendulkar, Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupati, Vishwanathan Anand and Chennai born former England skipper Nasser Hussain, who have the honour bestowed upon them.

Dhoni, who, on Saturday, would leave for Sri Lanka to join his team for the three-Test series and the subsequent tri-series also involving New Zealand, was also felicitated by his IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings for leading them to the title victory in IPL-3.

While Dhoni credited Chennai’s IPL success to the contribution of local players and the support from the fans in Tamil Nadu, co owner of the franchise, N Srinivasan said Dhoni’s leadership was the reason behind CSK’s success.

"Support that the Super Kings received from its fans was noteworthy besides the stupendous individual performances for the team cause by Tamil Nadu players in the team," Dhoni said.

“The achievements of CSK was due to the excellent leadership and management skills of Dhoni," Srinivasan said.

L Balaji, Hemang Badani and R Ashwin were among CSK players who attended the function.
http://content.cricketnirvana.com/news/international/2010/july/news-20100710-152.html
csk/dhoni fans yaarum intha news paakalaiya.... :o[/tscii:786c6384b0]

naanga fucntionkae poitu vanthutom

[Kalyasi]

Tamilnadu Citizen MSD Vaazhga!!

[sathya_1979]

Happy Birthday MSD aka Mr. Cool! Teamkku pala kOppaigaL mattrum thodargaL vendru saadhanai padaikka vaazhththukkaL!

[Siv.S]

Dhoni honoured with Madras Cricket Club membership

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Madras Cricket Club conferred Indian captain MS Dhoni with an honorary membership for his contribution to the Indian cricket and accepting the honour, Dhoni said he was proud of being associated with the 146-year-old club, rich in heritage.

"I am extremely happy and privileged to be a member of this historic age-old club, which has an history of supporting games and sport. I cherish happy memories of this venue (Chepauk Stadium) where I made my Test debut in 2005.

"I am privileged to be amongst many stalwarts who have shone in Indian sports, including cricket," said Dhoni.

The charismatic wicketkeeper batsman joined a glittering list of sportspersons like Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Sachin Tendulkar, Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupati, Vishwanathan Anand and Chennai born former England skipper Nasser Hussain, who have the honour bestowed upon them.

http://content.cricketnirvana.com/news/international/2010/july/news-20100710-152.html
:clap: :clap: :clap:


csk/dhoni fans yaarum intha news paakalaiya.... :o
Thanks for sharing it,Guru. :D

[Plum]

Times/Mirror anointed Dhoni as the third biggest star in TN after Rajni and Kamal(Bye bye Ajith/Vijay/Surya :-) ) - yaarumE pArkaliyA?

[leosimha]

Times/Mirror anointed Dhoni as the third biggest star in TN after Rajni and Kamal(Bye bye Ajith/Vijay/Surya :-) ) - yaarumE pArkaliyA?

//digg
Vikram/Prashanth? :lol2:
//end digg

by the way, share the news link. :)

[Plum]

I couldnt get the link - print-la pArthadhu. inge yaaravadhu thillaalangadi share paNnuvAngannu pArthEn

[ajithfederer]

When was Ajith there in the first place?

Your penchance for digression is what brings you trouble like the one you faced in tfm section recently.

Times/Mirror anointed Dhoni as the third biggest star in TN after Rajni and Kamal(Bye bye Ajith/Vijay/Surya :-) ) - yaarumE pArkaliyA?

[leosimha]

[tscii:27372d8be5]

India captain signs 42-million-dollar deal: report
(AFP) – 1 hour ago

NEW DELHI — Newly-married Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has signed a marketing deal worth 42 million dollars over two years, a report said on Tuesday.
Dhoni, 29, has signed up with an Indian sports management company Rhiti, which will handle his endorsements, merchandise, corporate profile, patents and digital rights, as well as visibility on social networking sites.
"We have entered into a two-year contract with Dhoni for 2,000 million rupees (42 million dollars)," Rhiti general manager Sanjay Pandey told the Press Trust of India news agency.
"We signed the contract a week back. From now onwards we will be handling Dhoni's endorsements."
The deal, the richest in Indian cricket history, surpasses batting superstar Sachin Tendulkar's 40-million three-year contract with sports management firm Iconix in 2006.
Dhoni, often described as India's most eligible bachelor, married childhood sweetheart and hotel management student Sakshi Singh Rawat at a private ceremony outside the northern town of Dehra Dun last week.
Dhoni is reported to currently endorse 22 leading brands, including Pepsi, Reebok, Aircel, Godrej and Hersheys.
A Forbes study last year on the world's richest cricketers put him at the top with an annual earning of 10 million dollars, followed by Tendulkar at eight million dollars.
Two other Indian cricketers, Yuvraj Singh (5.5 million dollars) and Rahul Dravid (five million dollars), were ranked third and fourth, while England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff was in fifth place with four million dollars, Forbes said.
Australian Test captain Ricky Ponting was in sixth place with 3.5 million dollars a year, the magazine said, adding the figures included club and national team salaries and commercial endorsements.


Link - http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5glJEYSBLwbIJ6kk9oqYzCRF8Av6g[/tscii:27372d8be5]

[leosimha]

MS Dhoni signs Rs 200-cr endorsement deal
Press Trust of India
13 July 2010 (New Delhi)

Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has signed a whopping Rs 200 crore endorsement deal with a talent management company, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar in the corporate contract sweepstakes.

Dhoni has entered into a three-year deal with Rhiti Sports Management and Mindscapes, which will manage the Indian skipper's long list of endorsements and brand associations, corporate profile, patents and digital rights, images, visibility on social networking sites and merchandise through a joint venture.

Tendulkar's three-year deal with sports management firm Iconix, signed in 2006, was worth Rs 180 crore.

Confirming the development, Rhiti Sports General Manager (Operations) Sanjay Pandey said as per the agreement, the company will be looking after Dhoni's entire spectrum of endorsements.

"Yes, we have entered into a two-year contract with Dhoni for Rs 200 crore. We have signed the contract a week back. From now onwards we will be handling Dhoni's endorsements," Pandey told PTI.

Apart from Dhoni, Rhiti Sports also manages his teammates RP Singh and Harbhajan Singh.

Currently, Dhoni is the country's most expensive sportsperson and is associated with 22 brands such as PepsiCo, Reebok, Aircel, Godrej and Hersheys.

Read more at: http://cricket.ndtv.com/storypage.aspx?id=SPOEN20100146396&cp


Link - http://cricket.ndtv.com/storypage.aspx?id=SPOEN20100146396

[leosimha]

wow....Dhoni...Dhoni...Dhoni.... :clap: :notworthy: :redjump: :bluejump:

[leosimha]

[tscii:d775eb2a81]

Dhoni signs Rs 200-cr deal with Rhiti Sports
13 Jul 2010, 0415 hrs IST,Ratna Bhushan,ET Bureau

NEW DELHI: With the trademark speed that he runs his singles, scores his fifties and well... married recently, MS Dhoni has presented himself a wedding gift worth nearly Rs 200 crore in an endorsement and talent management deal that took him past Sachin Tendulkar in the corporate contract sweepstakes.

The India cricket captain, also the country’s most expensive sportsman, has snapped up a three-year deal with sports and talent management firms Rhiti Sports Management and Mindscapes One, said two persons familiar with the development.

The companies, through a joint venture, will manage Dhoni’s long list of endorsements and brand associations, corporate profile, patents and digital rights, images, visibility on social networking sites and merchandise, they said.

Tendulkar held the corporate contract crown earlier, thanks to a Rs 180-crore deal with sports management firm Iconix for three years in 2006.

Rhiti Sports is headed by Arun Pandey, a confidant and business associate of Dhoni, while Mindscapes One is owned by Pratik Sen, who has been managing the cricketer’s endorsements for more than a year.

Sangeet Shirodkar, a familiar face in the sports management space, has been appointed as marketing president of the JV, the persons said.

Dhoni apart, Rhiti Sports manages cricketers RP Singh and Harbhajan Singh.

Mr Pandey and Mr Sen could not be reached for comment.

Rhiti and Mindscapes have trumped a handful of companies to enlist the popular cricketer, a darling of endorsement companies and brands. Dhoni charges up to Rs 6 crore an endorsement a year and is associated with 22 brands such as PepsiCo, Reebok, Aircel, Godrej and Hersheys.

As reported by ET, at least nine talent management firms such as IMG, Percept Group, Sunil Gavaskar-promoted PMG, World Sport Group, Purple People and Planman Consulting had vied with each other last month to sign up Dhoni.

An agency gets a fee of up to 30% of the total endorsement charges of a celebrity it manages.

With the World Cup due to be held in the Indian subcontinent next year and several international series coming up, a rash of companies are learnt to be keen to rope in Dhoni. Corporates that sell products riding on the cricketer’s popularity too are looking to renew contracts.

Dhoni earned $10 million last year, which made him top a list of the world’s highest-grossing cricketers, said a Forbes magazine report. He earned $8 million from endorsements, said the report, adding that his campaigns were 45% more expensive than other players.

Mindscapes has been managing Dhoni’s endorsements to date while his digital rights were split between several agencies.

Dhoni ended a long-running deal with sports management firm Gameplan Sports two years ago. Last year, he formally joined Mindscapes Maestros along with three promoters. But internal differences cropped up between the owners, resulting in one quitting the company. At the time Mindscapes was floated, there was intense speculation that Dhoni had come on board as an advisor.


Link - http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News-By-Industry/Services/Advertising/Dhoni-signs-Rs-200-cr-deal-with-Rhiti-Sports/articleshow/6160680.cms?curpg=1[/tscii:d775eb2a81]

[ajaybaskar]

Where is 'Irumbu Dhoniyum murattu Chennai singangalum' thread?

CSK preliminary team for Champions League has been announced. Andrew Flintoff in. George Bailey, Jacob Oram (gonna play for Central Districts) and Makhaya Ntini out.

[ajaybaskar]

CSK Team for CLT20

Chennai Super Kings: MS Dhoni, S Badrinath, M Vijay, Suresh Raina, R Ashwin, Shadab Jakati, A Srikkanth, L Balaji, Muttiah Muralitharan, Michael Hussey, Doug Bollinger, Thilan Thushara, Albie Morkel, Matthew Hayden, Joginder Sharma.

[Plum]

Joginder :)
En careerla enakku Dhoni maadhiri oru Godfather amainjaa nallA irukkm EnnA en talent level joginder level or less than that :-)

[satissh_r]

CSK Team for CLT20

Chennai Super Kings: MS Dhoni, S Badrinath, M Vijay, Suresh Raina, R Ashwin, Shadab Jakati, A Srikkanth, L Balaji, Muttiah Muralitharan, Michael Hussey, Doug Bollinger, Thilan Thushara, Albie Morkel, Matthew Hayden, Joginder Sharma.

Thissara Perera enna anan?

[VinodKumar's]

CSK Team for CLT20

Chennai Super Kings: MS Dhoni, S Badrinath, M Vijay, Suresh Raina, R Ashwin, Shadab Jakati, A Srikkanth, L Balaji, Muttiah Muralitharan, Michael Hussey, Doug Bollinger, Thilan Thushara, Albie Morkel, Matthew Hayden, Joginder Sharma.

Thissara Perera enna anan?

Avana CSK baseball team ku select pannikitaanga !!!

[Plum]

Sudeep Tyagi enna AnAn? Joginder edukaradhuku avanai edukkalAmE? :roll:

[Riyazz]

CSK Team for CLT20

Chennai Super Kings: MS Dhoni, S Badrinath, M Vijay, Suresh Raina, R Ashwin, Shadab Jakati, A Srikkanth, L Balaji, Muttiah Muralitharan, Michael Hussey, Doug Bollinger, Thilan Thushara, Albie Morkel, Matthew Hayden, Joginder Sharma.

Thissara Perera enna anan?

Avana CSK baseball team ku select pannikitaanga !!!where is flintoff

[ajaybaskar]

Andha payapullaikku kaalla sulukku....

[VinodKumar's]

For those who battered Dhoni mercilessly for not appreciating Karthik's 50 in Asia cup final



"Of course it was a good win. Especially if you are fielding first on this track. Bowlers did a really good job, especially PK and Nehra, the way they started. Spinners did well too, because this was not a spinners' track. Then the opening that Karthik and Sehwag provided. Karthik may not have got a fifty, but he played out a number of overs with the new ball. We had the bonus on the mind, and with Viru there I knew it would be easy. The way he batted reminded me of my second series when I batted with him. Fun-loving person, and enjoys his batting on the pitch."

[Movie Cop]

CSK Team for CLT20

Chennai Super Kings: MS Dhoni, S Badrinath, M Vijay, Suresh Raina, R Ashwin, Shadab Jakati, A Srikkanth, L Balaji, Muttiah Muralitharan, Michael Hussey, Doug Bollinger, Thilan Thushara, Albie Morkel, Matthew Hayden, Joginder Sharma.
Hayden still there.:shaking: Where is Flintoff?

[Plum]

Hayden will fire this time. CSK will be title contenders. But murali vijay career asthamanam aagidumnu nenaikkarachE dhaan...

[ajaybaskar]

For those who battered Dhoni mercilessly for not appreciating Karthik's 50 in Asia cup final



"Of course it was a good win. Especially if you are fielding first on this track. Bowlers did a really good job, especially PK and Nehra, the way they started. Spinners did well too, because this was not a spinners' track. Then the opening that Karthik and Sehwag provided. Karthik may not have got a fifty, but he played out a number of overs with the new ball. We had the bonus on the mind, and with Viru there I knew it would be easy. The way he batted reminded me of my second series when I batted with him. Fun-loving person, and enjoys his batting on the pitch."

Ghilli saar neenga....

[Sourav]

:cool2: dhoni was putting kattai deliberately b4 that randiv over to make viru to reach his century... :P but, sathi pannitaangae...

[VinodKumar's]

For those who battered Dhoni mercilessly for not appreciating Karthik's 50 in Asia cup final



"Of course it was a good win. Especially if you are fielding first on this track. Bowlers did a really good job, especially PK and Nehra, the way they started. Spinners did well too, because this was not a spinners' track. Then the opening that Karthik and Sehwag provided. Karthik may not have got a fifty, but he played out a number of overs with the new ball. We had the bonus on the mind, and with Viru there I knew it would be easy. The way he batted reminded me of my second series when I batted with him. Fun-loving person, and enjoys his batting on the pitch."

Ghilli saar neenga....

:mrgreen: :ty:

[Sourav]

The initials M S D of India's captain should read Man of Steel Dhoni! After all, few players in contemporary cricket have endured the rigours of the game as well as he has.

Since making his international debut in December 2004, the wicketkeeper-batsman has played non-stop cricket. And after being named India captain, starting with the Twenty20 format in 2007, he's featured in almost every Test, ODI, T20 or Indian Premier League match. As of August 23, he already has 63 playing days against his name in 2010 -- the most by players in the Indian team this year. For the record he's played 6 Tests (5 days), 15 ODIs, 5 T20s and 13 IPL matches since January.

Unlike his other team-mates, Mahendra Singh Dhoni cannot afford to relax even a minute when on the field. Being the captain of the side, he has to constantly evolve strategy while keeping wickets and, at the same time, is expected to play a big role with the bat.

On the ongoing tour of Sri Lanka, it appears he is struggling with injury to his back and fingers on his right hand, yet he soldiers on relentlessly, forcibly or by choice, you may never know.

Thus, it is baffling that despite having the luxury of Dinesh Karthik in the squad in the ongoing tri-series he continues in the keeper's role.[tscii:187edcb7cd][/tscii:187edcb7cd]

[VinodKumar's]

Injury na rest eduka vendiyathu thaana :twisted: World cup vera kittaka vanthuruchu !!!

[Sourav]

dhoni has to think abt the last point... making DK as w/k will give dhoni some relaxation!

Man of Steel is good choice 4 the thread title!

[VinodKumar's]

dhoni has to think abt the last point... making DK as w/k will give dhoni some relaxation!

Man of Steel is good choice 4 the thread title!

Athukapuram batting la neraya pressure varum :)

[Sourav]

dhoni has to think abt the last point... making DK as w/k will give dhoni some relaxation!

Man of Steel is good choice 4 the thread title!

Athukapuram batting la neraya pressure varum :) :roll:
being captain itself is a big pressure... captain adikkalainna enna aagumnu theriyum... dk irukkum bothu avanai keeper-a pottukitta konjam freea irukkalaam.

[VinodKumar's]

dhoni has to think abt the last point... making DK as w/k will give dhoni some relaxation!

Man of Steel is good choice 4 the thread title!

Athukapuram batting la neraya pressure varum :) :roll:
being captain itself is a big pressure... captain adikkalainna enna aagumnu theriyum... dk irukkum bothu avanai keeper-a pottukitta konjam freea irukkalaam.

Ella angilayum yosichu paarunga pressure athigamagarathu theriyum !!!

[Puliyan_Biryani]

DK is better fielder than Dhoni. That is why DK is not given WK duties when Dhoni is playing. Dhoni himself said that once.

[m_karthik]

dhoni has to think abt the last point... making DK as w/k will give dhoni some relaxation!

Man of Steel is good choice 4 the thread title!

Athukapuram batting la neraya pressure varum :) :roll:
being captain itself is a big pressure... captain adikkalainna enna aagumnu theriyum... dk irukkum bothu avanai keeper-a pottukitta konjam freea irukkalaam.

DK idhaan chance nu enakkum romba pressure irukku wk la appadinnu batting failures ku kaaram solluvaan..

[sathya_1979]

Watched IPL 2010 highlights CSK Vs KXIP (Last league match which helped CSK qualify for semis). Dhoni :notworthy: 2 sixes of Irfan Pathan in last over ennaa adi

[ajaybaskar]

Watched IPL 2010 highlights CSK Vs KXIP (Last league match which helped CSK qualify for semis). Dhoni :notworthy: 2 sixes of Irfan Pathan in last over ennaa adi

Yes.... That was like slapping Pathan for bowling 2 poor balls...

[sathya_1979]

I dunno what happened to Irfan. Such a very good talent. Would have easily solved the all-rounder problem. Chappel :hammer:

[Sourav]

http://www.ndtv.com/article/sports/full-text-ms-dhoni-on-match-fixing-tigers-and-marriage-50081?trendingnow

[Sourav]

I dunno what happened to Irfan. Such a very good talent. Would have easily solved the all-rounder problem. Chappel :hammer: read somewhere that he had a prob with some board/selection committee members...wen he was in training in NCA, he failed to attend a irani cup match, that may be the reason selectors deliberately overlooking him wen selecting national squad...

[Plum]

And you know why he failed to turn up for that Irani match after being selected? Because he wasn't informed. He had reported to the NCA because players nursing injury are mandated to do so by BCCI. He had written to BcCI about reporting to the NCA.
The selectors got angry and the rest is his pathetic story.

[Kalyasi]

Dhoni is the only captain to make into the finals of World T20, IPL and CLT20 and that too all in debut

[RGowtham]

Csk going to be the only team to win both IPL and Cl T20 8-)

[Riyazz]

Csk going to be the only team to win both IPL and Cl T20 8-) :exactly: :thumbsup:

[VENKIRAJA]

Aren't we the first Indian team to enter a CLT20 finals?

[RGowtham]

Aren't we the first Indian team to enter a CLT20 finals?

Ya.Absolutely :clap: :clap:

[VinodKumar's]

:victory: :victory: :smokesmirk: :victory: :victory:

[MADDY]

Annan lifts yet another trophy :lol:

[raghavendran]

best club in the world....THAMIZHAN DHONIKKU :notworthy:

[Dhakshan]

Annan lifts yet another trophy :lol:

:roll: Why lol? :huh:

[directhit]

Annan lifts yet another trophy :lol: :wink:

[MADDY]

Annan lifts yet another trophy :lol:

:roll: Why lol? :huh:

sandhosham

[Vivasaayi]

Dhoni mela mariyadhai kooditte pogudhu :clap:

enna oru composure, man management, calmness :clap:

[ajaybaskar]

Solli adikkura gilli...

[vanchi]

Thanga thalaivan Dr Annan Dhoni

:notworthy: 8-) :happydance: :cheer:

in a league of his own :pink: :2thumbsup:

[Dhakshan]

Annan lifts yet another trophy :lol:

:roll: Why lol? :huh:

sandhosham

:2thumbsup:

[Sourav]

Dhoni mela mariyadhai kooditte pogudhu :clap:
same here... didnt like him much till 2,3 yrs b4... but, it has changed match by match.

[Sourav]

Thanga thalaivan Dr Annan Dhoni

:notworthy: 8-) :happydance: :cheer:

in a league of his own :pink: :2thumbsup:Ithu eppolerunthu...

[Kalyasi]

Vaazhga Annan!!

[vanchi]

Thanga thalaivan Dr Annan Dhoni

:notworthy: 8-) :happydance: :cheer:

in a league of his own :pink: :2thumbsup:Ithu eppolerunthu...

:mrgreen: etho nammalala oru seva. yar yarokko pattam kodukrainga.

amogamana rasinga thalivarukku. todays win one more eg.

annan a parunga, ippadi oru kelippulayum, coola varaple. over the top mattere kidayathu.

raina mukkal thuram odi vanthu ninuttaru. avara pathu oru sound vittara. ithu than coolest one.

[Kalyasi]

Annan Dhoni to Plum: Test Series Tholvi enbathu en sarithirathil idam peraathu :smokesmirk: :smokesmirk: :smokesmirk: :smokesmirk:

[Sourav]

Congrats Dhoni! :D ICC World Test team captain! :cool2:

[Kalyasi]

Congrats to Annan!!!

[Dhakshan]

Congrats Dhoni :clap:
Test Captain of the year :cheer:
Soon he proves he is the best in all formats...

[Riyazz]

Annan Dhoni to Plum: Test Series Tholvi enbathu en sarithirathil idam peraathu :smokesmirk: :smokesmirk: :smokesmirk: :smokesmirk: kalyasi over confidenc veikadinga. Next series appu vecuruvanga :P

[Riyazz]

Congrats lion dhoni :cheer:

[ajaybaskar]

Chennaiyin singathukku en vaazhthukkal... :clap:

[raghavendran]

enge veetu pillai dhonikku :clap:

[vanchi]

yesssu :notworthy: :clap: :2thumbsup:

[directhit]

MS Dhoni has 150 dismissals now in 48 test matches. Second Indian after Kirmani to acheive that feat :clap: :clap:

[ajaybaskar]

Dhoni now has won 4 out of 4 tests that he has captained against Australia

:clap:

[directhit]

7 TEST SERIES - UNBEATEN :smokesmirk:

[ajaybaskar]

Thanks to Sachin, Vijay, Pujara, Zaheer, Ojha, Bhajji and other contributors for their outstanding efforts!! :clap:

[directhit]

Dhoni now collects the Border-Gavaskar Trophy from SM Gavaskar. Dhoni lifts it high over his head and his team-mates roar in joy. He now calls them to join him. He gives the Trophy to a beaming Pujara 8-)

[ajaybaskar]

Dhoni now collects the Border-Gavaskar Trophy from SM Gavaskar. Dhoni lifts it high over his head and his team-mates roar in joy. He now calls them to join him. He gives the Trophy to a beaming Pujara 8-)

I was about to post this. :)

Truly a character!!!

[MADDY]

Dhoni now collects the Border-Gavaskar Trophy from SM Gavaskar. Dhoni lifts it high over his head and his team-mates roar in joy. He now calls them to join him. He gives the Trophy to a beaming Pujara 8-)

I was about to post this. :)

Truly a character!!!

idhellam appadiye varradhu dhaan-la :D

but im very concerned abt bunch of gray hair on his side-burns :shock: .......too much of stress i think - he must be made T20/test captain only......after world cup, ODI captaincy must go to sehwag or raina - too much pressure ma :(

[Thirumaran]

[html:4699589221]
http://www.cricinfo.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/122900/122986.jpg
[/html:4699589221]

[sathya_1979]

Dhonikku adhukkuLLa neraya veLLai mudi (thalaila) :shock: :(

[ajaybaskar]

Dhonikku adhukkuLLa neraya veLLai mudi (thalaila) :shock: :(

Sathya.. this is disgusting... :lol:

[sathya_1979]

Dhonikku adhukkuLLa neraya veLLai mudi (thalaila) :shock: :(

Sathya.. this is disgusting... :lol:
sorry, really sorry. Nothing offensive. As I posted sometime back, he seems to be under lot of stress offlate.
He is the best Captain and should not burn himself out. ivLo chinna vayasula iVlo veLLai mudi nalladhukkilla :(

[ajaybaskar]

Yes... Grey hair in 29 yrs means a lot of stress.. Be careful..

(Ennaya sonnen)

[vanchi]

Mahi Dhoni :D 8-) :redjump: :boo:

superb record, way to go man. you rock

[vanchi]

Mahendra Singham Dhoni became the first Indian captain to register a success rate of 100 per cent against Australia, winning all four.

Dhoni's success of 66.66 per cent is the best amongst Indian captains with at least 10 Tests -- won 12, lost two and drawn 4, out of 18 played.

India have recorded series wins six times under Dhoni's captaincy

Mahendra Singh Dhoni (2602 runs + 150 dismissals in 48 Tests) is now the second Indian wicketkeeper to complete the double of 2500 runs and 150 dismissals

:2thumbsup: :victory: :smokesmile: :smokesmirk:

[VinodKumar's]

Ivan perai sonanthum perumai sonnathum kadalum kadalum kai thattum

ivan ulagam thaandiya uyaram kondathai nilavu nilavu thalai muttum

Intha Mahendran enbavam padaipin ucham :smokesmirk:

[vanchi]

The crowd was our 12th man in Bangalore' - Dhoni

MS Dhoni has asked for Tests to be played at venues that have a history of supporting Test cricket with big attendances while appreciating the support received from the Bangalore crowd during the course of India's series win. Of India's 10 Test venues - Hyderabad being the newest - Nagpur, Ahmedabad, Mohali and to an extent Delhi are known for their lukewarm response to Test cricket.

"Maybe some of these centres where people come up to see Test matches can be given preference over some other centres where people don't come in large numbers to watch Test matches," Dhoni said. "After all, if taken in the right sense, we are the performers in the circus, but you need the circus to be full. It [this comment] should be taken in the right sense."

Dhoni and his men liked what they saw in Bangalore. Three of the days - the weekend and the final day - were almost sold out. "It really helps the players who are on the field," Dhoni said. "Frankly speaking, in the 45th or 50th over, when the fast bowler comes for his second or third spell, it's the crowd that gets him going, apart from the fact that he is supposed to do well for the team and the country. You need some kind of a motivation, and especially because we're used to playing IPL and ODIs in front of 30000 or 40000 or 50000 people, you want that kind of a crowd."

Throughout the last five days, the spectators have been India's 12th man. They cheered every special effort by the Indians, appealed when the bowler appealed, got off their seats when Sachin Tendulkar and other batsmen played good strokes, and appreciated every good effort by the fielders. Some of them booed the Australians, but many were appreciative.

"It was a remarkable crowd," Dhoni said. "Throughout the five days there were good crowds, and on the final day it was literally house full. You could see as many people in the stands as in a T20 or ODI match. They supported good cricket more than anything else."

They did get their money's worth. Not only did they watch their home side complete a clean sweep against Australia, they saw Tendulkar go level with Virender Sehwag as the Indian with the most double-centuries; they saw Cheteshwar Pujara, the debutant, play an innings he wouldn't mind as his epitaph; they saw M Vijay, a stylish batsman, add substance to his game at Test level; they saw Ricky Ponting bat beautifully but fall disappointingly short; they saw Zaheer Khan and Ben Hilfenhaus create wickets on flat pitches. The Indian team thanked the crowd with a deserved lap of the ground.[/tscii]

[vanchi]

India need to groom more bowlers: Dhoni

BANGALORE: Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Wednesday lauded his bowling unit for playing a pivotal role in India's 2-0 series win over Australia, but said India need to groom more bowlers, especially pacers, since performing consistently was not easy in international cricket.

India have rested key bowlers like paceman Zaheer Khan and spinner Harbhajan Singh for the upcoming One-day series. Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir and Ishant Sharma are also not part of the squad since they are nursing injuries.

"I am not playing with key players since we need to give them rest. We need to groom bowlers. We have four or five good fast bowlers and three spinners who have been consistently performing.

"We need to rotate. It is also difficult for the fast bowlers to perform well in each and every match in India. There is lot of pressure on the fast bowlers," Dhoni said.

Dhoni said his bowlers forced a result in Bangalore where pitch was not offering much.

"The efforts put up by our players especially the bowlers was really outstanding because by losing the toss I was not helping them out. In the first innings we were not able to get any kind of reverse swing going as the wicket was not so dry.

"If you see the result, I think it was not a wicket where you can get a finish in four and half days. It was not a turning track where our spinners can take wickets.

"Therefore I thought the efforts put in by the bowlers were good and the part time bowlers also contributed well. Of course, the batsmen have always done well for us," he said.

The India skipper said the youngsters should grab the opportunity in the ODI series and get a taste of international cricket.

"The rivals are two top teams in world cricket. We are hoping that it will be interesting. Both the teams are not fielding their best elevens. Australia have rested about six to seven players.

"The youngsters are our bench strength and they get chance to prove themselves. They will also get to know how tough international cricket is and learn the areas that they need to improve. I think it will be a good series," he said.

India have included young batsman Shikhar Dhawan apart from newcomers Murali Vijay and R Vinay Kumar for the ODI series, beginning October 17 in Kochi.

The clean sweep, after the seven-wicket win, is India's first against Australia, but Dhoni refused to be drawn into debate whether it was India's best win.

[ajithfederer]

Dhoni 1 (http://i52.tinypic.com/35d0w07.jpg)

Dhoni 2 (http://i53.tinypic.com/ezrgpy.jpg)

LM, please upload these pics as well.

[Kalyasi]

Ivan perai sonanthum perumai sonnathum kadalum kadalum kai thattum

ivan ulagam thaandiya uyaram kondathai nilavu nilavu thalai muttum

Intha Mahendran enbavam padaipin ucham :smokesmirk:

Mahendira... Mahendira!!! :smokesmirk: :smokesmirk: :smokesmirk: :smokesmirk:

[ajithfederer]

Sorry to disturb again lm.

Dhoni 1 (http://i52.tinypic.com/35d0w07.jpg)

Dhoni 2 (http://i53.tinypic.com/ezrgpy.jpg)

LM, please upload these pics as well.

[steveaustin]

Interesting to note that Dhoni and Number 200 seems to be lucky for Sachin. Recently two notable feats made by Sachin when Dhoni was at the crease. On both occasions, when Sachin scored a only ODI 200 and 200 in the second test Dhoni was at the crease.

[Thirumaran]

Ivan perai sonanthum perumai sonnathum kadalum kadalum kai thattum

ivan ulagam thaandiya uyaram kondathai nilavu nilavu thalai muttum

Intha Mahendran enbavam padaipin ucham :smokesmirk:


Toooo much.. Threeeeeeeeeeeee much... Oh God :skull:

[directhit]

Interesting to note that Dhoni and Number 200 seems to be lucky for Sachin. Recently two notable feats made by Sachin when Dhoni was at the crease. On both occasions, when Sachin scored a only ODI 200 and 200 in the second test Dhoni was at the crease. http://www.cricinfo.com/india-v-australia-2010/content/story/481255.html

[hamid]

Mahendra Singham Dhoni became the first Indian captain to register a success rate of 100 per cent against Australia, winning all four.

Dhoni's success of 66.66 per cent is the best amongst Indian captains with at least 10 Tests -- won 12, lost two and drawn 4, out of 18 played.

India have recorded series wins six times under Dhoni's captaincy

Mahendra Singh Dhoni (2602 runs + 150 dismissals in 48 Tests) is now the second Indian wicketkeeper to complete the double of 2500 runs and 150 dismissals

:2thumbsup: :victory: :smokesmile: :smokesmirk:

:thumbsup: the dream run continues.. still are there anybody who attributes this success to luck factor? yep.. there will still be a few and they will always be..right? :lol2:

[Plum]

Hamid, without taking away from Credit of Dhoni, Can Dhoni fans tell me how much of this series win can be attributed to Dhoni? This series has been below-par for Dhoni as captain, wicket keeper and batsman. He almost screwed india with his wicket keeping failures in the first test, poor captaincy in setting fields, and letting Australia off the hook while batting. In addition, poor form with the bat(which I will excuse). First test win was due to others' efforts and INSPITE OF Dhoni rather than because of him.

The second test was better but even here, the overall quality and efforts of the Indian team did it rather than anything special from Dhoni. This is in direct contrast to the previous tour where he outwitted Ponting and co. with his captaincy - and it was clear from the way Kumble failed to win in the two tests in charge but Dhoni did with the same team.

In short, I appreciate Dhoni's overall role as captain but to use this series to generally thumb the nose at Dhoni's critics is cynical. In this series, I'd really say that Dhoni was lucky to be the winning captain.

Again, I hope you take it in the right spirit - I have no personal agenda against Dhoni; if I had, I wouldnt have worked so hard with chatterjee on behalf of his team(not that the team wins because of my chatterjee but one does tend to stick to such superstitions, doesnt one and if I was against Dhoni, I'd probably have done the opposite chatterjee, whether it works or not. I mean, you really have to take my comments in the right spirit instead of attributing agenda)

[Plum]

Ofcourse, the decision to send at Pujara at #3 was a masterstroke and one definitely credits Dhoni for it. But overall, re-quoting iLayathilagam Prabhu, in this particular series, it was a case of Dhoni in being a OdaRa padam rather than Dhoni nadicha padam Odings.

[Plum]

To be precise, lucky doesnt mean that EVERY SINGLE ACHIEVEMENT has been achieved with luck.
When people say lucky, they perhaps think of situations like these where things fell in place for him rather than anything special done by him, but still people add it to his achievements.
This is what is called as "Success breeds success". Nobody will be stupid to say that everything achieved by Dhoni is luck. In short, people are merely questioning the hagiographic narrative rather than presenting a completely destructive narrative as an alternative.

[hamid]

Plum,

I hail the team effort than an individual.. thats the point.. I again and again say that Mahi has got the team together.. The atmosphere is terrific and the success is mainly because of us playing as Team rather than an individual.. I credit Dhoni and Gary for the same..

My post was not against you..and for that matter it is against the generic thought which was forced many times in past.. I do feel you got to respect Dhoni offlate and gives him some credit.. ( I havent read all posts here . but i feel I am right)

and I sincerely belived u wanted India to win.. am happy for that..thanks for the same :cool:

[MADDY]

To be precise, lucky doesnt mean that EVERY SINGLE ACHIEVEMENT has been achieved with luck.
When people say lucky, they perhaps think of situations like these where things fell in place for him rather than anything special done by him, but still people add it to his achievements.
This is what is called as "Success breeds success". Nobody will be stupid to say that everything achieved by Dhoni is luck. In short, people are merely questioning the hagiographic narrative rather than presenting a completely destructive narrative as an alternative.

this is purely ur point of view, there are many people who still attribute "all" read again "all" team India success, which in turn is Dhoni's as well, to LUCK

[Plum]

Right, if people want to believe that every single achievement of Dhoni is luck, then good luck to them, they'll end up with a lot of heartbreak and disappointments in Life :-)

I sincerely want him to succeed now considering the alternatives - Yuvi? Durby? :skull: ? Sehwag? Gambhir? - however he is overworked and this series really brutally exposed his limitations. He needs time to rethink on his strategies and a break to rejuvenate himself - some of his field settings were howlers really and neither run saving nor wicket taking.

As a batsman, again, he has been consistently a failure against Australia, which certainly dents the overall reputation as a batsman. At one point, I was thinking, he could be our #6 batsman, and India can groom Sreevats Goswami or someone or even Dinesh Karthik as a test #7 wicket-keeper. But I dont see that as an option now from what I have seen in this series.

As a keeper, I am not too concerned about his mistakes. I think it is just overwork that is causing the mistakes. He really needs to start saying NO to N Srinivasan and consciously reduce his workload. Unless BCCI stops scheduling stupid SL series and ad-hoc bangladesh tri-nations, Dhoni will be burned out sooner or later.

As a captain, again, he just needs to spend some time observing the opposition and clearly working out tactics in his mind. Honestly, I feel that he didnt have enough time to prepare for this series as a captain after the emotionally draining CLT20 win just two days before the series. Again, BCCI really needs to consciously avoid burnout. Look what CA is doing for Ricky and extending his career :sigh:

[MADDY]

this series dhoni didnt perform well as a captain - hmm didnt notice much but i thought he was bang on with the bowling changes and field placings.....infact, to me the "defining moment" of the series were ishants' 3 wicket spell in mohali second innings and ishant-lax partnership - i think the credit for 1st one goes to Dhoni a lot.......sending pujara was just a logical decision - the captain dhoni is much beyond that.....

and keeper dhoni did miss a couple of chances but no keeper in the world read again no keeper in the world can effect dismissals like clarke's in the second innings in bengaluroo.......dhoni, the batsman was partially good - with his support role for sachin in bangalore and a suicidal run out but he was struggling throughout the series......

as of now, i would like to dismiss these mundane "dhoni is lucky", "dhoni is a coward" , "dhoni is not contributing, only team is winning on its own" arguements and rather take a serious look at the pressure he has been put to.....the grey hairs doesent augur well - im sure he is undergoing tremendous bit of stress which needs to be discussed and considered by the board.........he definitely needs a replacement in atleast one form of the game :)

[directhit]

no keeper in the world read again no keeper in the world can effect dismissals like clarke's in the second innings in bengaluroo....... :thumbsup:

[Sourav]

Captain Dhoni: God has made Sachin for cricket
- Satisfaction at beating a ‘good side’; praise for pujara
LOKENDRA PRATAP SAHI

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1101014/jsp/sports/story_13056465.jsp

Bangalore: Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the Team India captain, had an interaction with the media in general, on Wednesday afternoon, and then took some questions exclusively from The Telegraph.

The following are excerpts


Whether the seven-wicket win over Australia is the most memorable in the two years that he has been the Test captain
Can’t pick one ahead of the other... The same goes for ODIs... But the fact is that Australia are a good side.


Reflecting on the Chinnaswamy victory
By losing tosses I don’t help the bowlers... It wasn’t a turning track, but was slow and the balls kept low... The bowlers did a very good job... A target of 207 wouldn’t be seen as big, but a start was still needed. Had a few wickets gone early, then panic would’ve set in. The scorecard may suggest it was easy, but there was some tension and a bit of nervousness in the dressing room.


A clean sweep, 2-0
It’s easy when it’s a two-match series only... It could get difficult if it involves three or four Tests.


His first series win after marriage
(Laughs) Yes, hadn’t thought of it.


If wife Sakshi made a trip to the Chinnaswamy
I did ask her to come on one of the days, at least, but she preferred to stay in the hotel. We do talk cricket, but never in any detail.


Thoughts on Sachin Tendulkar, Man of the Match and the Man of the Series
What do I say? God has made Sachin for cricket... I can’t put it better... We know he’s so talented, but we must also appreciate the amount of work he has put in from such a young age... He continues to work so hard, doesn’t take anything for granted.


Areas he’d been looking to exploit
Wanted to put pressure on Australia’s middle order and the lower middle order.


Promoting debutant Cheteshwar Pujara to the No.3 position and dropping regular Rahul Dravid to No.5, on Wednesday
We (the team management) wanted an experienced player down the order, after Sachin at No.4... Had Rahul come at his usual position, then it would’ve been (the inexperienced) Suresh Raina and Pujara after Sachin... Also, we thought the Australians may be taken by surprise and attack Pujara, which they did... He got the chance to play his shots... Instead of feeling the pressure, Pujara took it up as a challenge.


Whether Pujara was given time to mentally prepare himself
He was told about it before we began our second innings... He was up for it. Of course, we (the team management) had a discussion in the morning itself.


Pujara making a mark on his debut
The good thing is that the younger players (too) are performing... Murali Vijay, for example, got past the 100-barrier... Pujara realised that if he performed today, it would be remembered. It’s a learning curve for everybody.


Australians getting a taste of their own medicine — seeing the opposition chase down the target rather comfortably
Well, we got partnerships going... That was needed.

[Vijay and Pujara put on 72 for the second wicket, the third wicket partnership between Pujara and Sachin was worth 57 and, then, Sachin and Dravid took India to victory with an unbroken stand of 61 for the fourth wicket.]


Crowd support at the Chinnaswamy
Support helps and the crowd was remarkable... That’s why, as a token of our appreciation, we did a lap of honour... We’re used to playing in front of 30,000-40,000 fans in the ODIs and in the IPL and we’d like the same support in Tests... One needs motivation... We’re like performers in a circus, but the circus must be full... (Laughs) This should be taken in the right sense, though.


Whether India can dominate Test cricket like Australia did till recently
Would depend on one basic — playing good cricket... It would be nice if we could have a bigger pool of fast bowlers and spinners to pick from.


Finally, on the ODI series, which begins on Sunday
Australia and India are the top teams... Both, however, have rested some of the big players... It should be interesting.

[tscii:88e122e1dc][/tscii:88e122e1dc]

[steveaustin]

When people say lucky, they perhaps think of situations like these where things fell in place for him rather than anything special done by him, but still people add it to his achievements.

I agree. I personally feel that if this yardstick applies to each and everyone in their respective fields, then it's fine. :)
If it applies only to Dhoni, as a neutral I won't accept it.

[Dhakshan]

"dhoni is not contributing, only team is winning on its own"

:shock: Well, we can replace Ponting(as captain) with the bold word IMO!
I haven't seen any Indian Captain or any other Captain for that matter making some great master strokes(decisions) :)

[Plum]

When people say lucky, they perhaps think of situations like these where things fell in place for him rather than anything special done by him, but still people add it to his achieve

ments.

I agree. I personally feel that if this yardstick applies to each and everyone in their respective fields, then it's fine. :)
If it applies only to Dhoni, as a neutral I won't accept it.

ippO enna, nAn Chatterjee-la periya thillAlangadi illainu solRingaLA? sari ogay! ;-) :-)

[steveaustin]

:roll: :confused2:

[MADDY]

"dhoni is not contributing, only team is winning on its own"

:shock: Well, we can replace Ponting(as captain) with the bold word IMO!
I haven't seen any Indian Captain or any other Captain for that matter making some great master strokes(decisions) :)

i meant, people talk like that - even in HUB we had such comments and im sure still many have that comment in their mind........i dont agree to it - as u said, Dhoni has made some remarkable decisions and seems to be getting basics right which has been neglected for so long.......without a dhoni, i dont think such excellent players and support staff can be used to their potential :)

[Dhakshan]

"dhoni is not contributing, only team is winning on its own"

:shock: Well, we can replace Ponting(as captain) with the bold word IMO!
I haven't seen any Indian Captain or any other Captain for that matter making some great master strokes(decisions) :)

i meant, people talk like that - even in HUB we had such comments and im sure still many have that comment in their mind........i dont agree to it - as u said, Dhoni has made some remarkable decisions and seems to be getting basics right which has been neglected for so long.......without a dhoni, i dont think such excellent players and support staff can be used to their potential :)

Yea! I was shocked to see these kinds of comments (by others, of course).. Dhoni was the one who formed this team.. Even other Captains had this kind of team, but wasn't very successful.. Most of the time, all hav the resource, but making use of the same is the real challenge (same is applicable to IPL team too) :)

[littlemaster1982]

[html:d92161d493]http://i52.tinypic.com/35d0w07.jpg[/html:d92161d493]

[html:d92161d493]http://i53.tinypic.com/ezrgpy.jpg[/html:d92161d493]

[ajaybaskar]

Congrats to MSD for winning his 50th ODI match as captain. :clap:

[MADDY]

Congrats to MSD for winning his 50th ODI match as captain. :clap:

oh yeah, just heard he is just below Azhar and Ganguly and has lot of time to go to beat them :D

[Sourav]

nethu ravi sashthri commentary-la sonnathu apdiye solreenga... ;)
And his winning % is higher than sourav & azhar.

[Plum]

He can easily beat Azhar and Ganguly.

[sathya_1979]

He can easily beat Azhar and Ganguly.
Ganguly Ok, konjam short and not heavy built. Azhar vaatta saattamaa iruppaar, avarayum Dhoni easiyaa adichiduvaaraa? :shock:

[Plum]

yA, Azharukku vayasaiduthOlliyO?

[Plum]

Besides, avar kAsu vAngittu vEra thOppAr?

[sathya_1979]

vaasthavamdhaan!

[ajaybaskar]

Old but good one..

http://strat.in/2009/08/dhoni-leadership-style/

[MADDY]

Old but good one..

http://strat.in/2009/08/dhoni-leadership-style/

kickass article


While Sreesanth and Yuvraj danced to the crowds and Sehwag and Harbhajan played to the gallery, Dhoni was a picture of calm and composure. A simple smile on his face. Acknowledging the cheers of the crowds.

Great leaders have a sense of perspective. No achievement is small. And yet no achievement is larger than life. Everything should be put in perspective.

we have been dreaming for long, but Dhoni is a dream come true

[raghavendran]

MSD needs a brk..he is playing non stop cricket for too long now..WCkku thevai...rest kudukalame...sehwag,sachin,baji ellarukkum restna y not dhoni :evil:

[Sourav]

http://www.cricinfo.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/123300/123355.jpg

[ajaybaskar]

http://cricket.yahoo.com/cricket/news/article?id=item/2.0/-/story/cricket.yahoonews.com/-successful-because-good-team-dhoni-20101027/

India is gifted to have such a captain!!!

[Riyazz]

http://cricket.yahoo.com/cricket/news/article?id=item/2.0/-/story/cricket.yahoonews.com/-successful-because-good-team-dhoni-20101027/

India is gifted to have such a captain!!! :thumbsup:

[MADDY]

http://cricket.yahoo.com/cricket/news/article?id=item/2.0/-/story/cricket.yahoonews.com/-successful-because-good-team-dhoni-20101027/

India is gifted to have such a captain!!! :thumbsup:

:thumbsup:

[Sourav]

http://cricket.yahoo.com/cricket/news/article?id=item/2.0/-/story/cricket.yahoonews.com/-successful-because-good-team-dhoni-20101027/

India is gifted to have such a captain!!!
:bow: @dhoni's humbleness!

[satissh_r]

http://cricket.rediff.com/report/2010/oct/29/coach-stephen-fleming-inks-fresh-three-year-deal-with-chennai-super-kings.htm

CSK ke vera thread irukannu thedi parthen, kedaikala.

[ajaybaskar]

http://forumhub.mayyam.com/hub/viewtopic.php?t=14761

[satissh_r]

Thanks Ajay!!

[directhit]

http://www.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/486070.html

Moving on to your relationship with Dhoni. He is possibly the most important player in the side. He seems like someone who leads by instinct. What kind or relationship do you share with him?
Yes, he does lead by his gut feel. He has got very instinctive ideas on the game. He has been absolutely critical to the success of this team. He is a calming influence. He does not get overly emotional through success and failure. He expects individuals on the field to be able to perform and that is team management's responsibility to make sure that we have prepared them in such a way that they are ready to perform. We have a strong trust relationship. We have not had a cross word in three years because we have a lot of respect for each other. We do have difference of opinions and we discuss them If we are undecided on something, we will ask some of the players their thoughts and come to a decision. He is an incredible captain in terms of the way he has the feel for the game. I have not seen many in the world have the flair for the game like he does. One thing you would have noticed in his two years as captain of the Test side specifically is that how the seamers have grown to play a massive role in this team. They have got as many wickets as the spinners have got on flat wickets because he uses the seamers cleverly at various times in the game. He brings them into the game all the time. They are never spending two sessions out in the field just fielding after bowling fiver overs early on.

Does his spontaneity scare you at times?
He does things sometimes that I might do it differently, but I certainly trust him with his decision-making. I have always believed that when it comes to strategy there are many ways to skin a cat. And that is where MS is very good - he will often think left field, think creatively about something, to achieve results. I am very mindful of the fact that it is not my way that is necessarily the right way. :thumbsup: There might be another way that could be the right one, too.

[vanchi]

:clap: 8-)

[Riyazz]

:clap:

[MADDY]

Dhoni thittradha ellam paathu summa irukkaadhinga, Annan-a bash in any form panna pls inform me - i'll come to this section and reply............

[Dhakshan]

:yes: Dhoni :clap: for his 98..

[Ramakrishna]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYNKku58wjI

Listen to what Dhoni says :lol:

[raghavendran]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYNKku58wjI

Listen to what Dhoni says :lol: :rotfl3:

[ajaybaskar]

[tscii:2b787c2e01]Captain Cool Dhoni on the trigger!
Wednesday, Dec 15 2010

Chennai: The Walther air rifle which India and Chennai Super Kings skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni recently ordered, arrived in India on Thursday.

Dhoni had approached indianshooting.com which represents Walther in India and ordered this top end air rifle just after the conclusion of the Commonwealth Games.

Dhoni opted for the .177 Carbontec model, the same that Abhinav Bindra had used to win the Gold medal at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

The landing cost of this rifle is Euro 2,400 and is 4.5 kg in weight, according to a release from indianshooting.com.

Walther is a World renowned German gun manufacturer which caters to many Olympic and world champions including world record holder Gagan Narang.

The Walther is also famous for its Walther PPK model which was used by James Bond in many of the 007 movies.

Dhoni’s latest acquisition is in keeping with his love for fast bikes and Formula One, but his affinity for rifles was hitherto not widely known.

The skipper is currently in South Africa leading the Indian team in the Test and ODI series beginning next week.[/tscii:2b787c2e01]

[ajaybaskar]

Got this in YT.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ntFYmAR93c&feature=fvst

[MADDY]

heartwarming to see Dhoni perform in SA tracks......beautifully played and got out only to a great ball :clap:

[Siv.S]

Memorable innings :bow: :bow:

[littlemaster1982]

heartwarming to see Dhoni perform in SA tracks......beautifully played and got out only to a great ball :clap:

I have seen him getting out to short balls closer to body before. SA bowlers had done their homework.

[raghavendran]

heartwarming to see Dhoni perform in SA tracks......beautifully played and got out only to a great ball :clap:

I have seen him getting out to short balls closer to body before. SA bowlers had done their homework.it seems that they let dhoni to get 90 and then show their homework

[ajaybaskar]

As Tendulkar said, a strong message has been sent. That the team wouldn't roll over and die. It is a message both the teams will carry into the rest of the series. A few players might have been exposed during this Test, but mentally this team is different from the Indian teams of yore. In two years, this team has crossed 450 in the second innings of away Tests twice. In their whole Test-playing history, India have done so only six times.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/south-africa-v-india-2010/content/current/story/493498.html

MSD.. Take my hugs!!!

[vanchi]

super innings from thalaivar :notworthy: 8-)
//ithu south africa match//

[ajithfederer]

This one nipped back quite sharply to come close to the body and got his glove. If it had maintained its natural path it was an easy leave. The sharp turn was quite unexpected. It would have got any batsman out.


heartwarming to see Dhoni perform in SA tracks......beautifully played and got out only to a great ball :clap:

I have seen him getting out to short balls closer to body before. SA bowlers had done their homework.

[MADDY]

Annan about to break Azharudin's record :clap: ......a moment to rejoice indeed...... :clap:

request to Annan fans - dont answer provocations.....let us win, let them whine..........the victory is ours, the moment is ours* - lets not donate it to sadistic intentions

*this moment is as much as other players' fans as well

[ajaybaskar]

Point taken..

[ajaybaskar]

[tscii:53e4b070ad]M.S. Dhoni joined Mohammad Azharuddin at second place in the list of India's most successful Test captains after the win in Kingsmead.

The victory was Dhoni's 14th in 23 Tests. He has lost three and drawn six. Azharuddin had 14 victories from 47 Tests in charge. Sourav Ganguly leads the list with 21 wins from 49 Tests (13 losses, 15 draws).

“It means I've got a good side,” said Dhoni, asked what the record meant.

“What it means is that we've played consistent cricket over a period of time. We started this process around September 2008 and two years hence we're in a position where we can say we have done well in most places.

“Of course it's a proud moment. As a team whether it's batting, bowling or fielding we've done consistently well.”

“We've taken some good catches despite not being a brilliant ground-fielding side. It feels really good that we've done well together.”

When told that his winning percentage was the fourth best among captains with at least 20 Tests (only Steve Waugh, Sir Donald Bradman, and Ricky Ponting have a better ratio of wins to Tests), Dhoni asked in jest, “So I should retire?”

“What I want is my team to respect me, not anything else,” he added.

“There can be a situation where the team is doing well and the captain is labelled as doing a good job. I'm fortunate to have people who are willing to go onto the field and do their best.”

http://www.thehindu.com/sport/cricket/article1016649.ece[/tscii:53e4b070ad]

[ajaybaskar]

The last sentence alone makes me love this man!!

[Sourav]

“There can be a situation where the team is doing well and the captain is labelled as doing a good job. I'm fortunate to have people who are willing to go onto the field and do their best.”
[tscii:52bee09166]
http://www.thehindu.com/sport/cricket/article1016649.ece[/tscii:52bee09166]
Dhoni is very modest alwys.... :bow:

[vanchi]

most successful captaan :D :clap: :clap: 8-)
fourth best among overall . way to go thalivaa :smokesmirk: :smokesmirk:

[Plum]

Forgot to say this - recently, Dhoni walked for a lbw second time in his career after the prev world cup against murali.
Selective spirit-of-cricket-follower Gilly-ai periya gendilman-nu image create paNNi vechukarachE, idhai ellAm nallA parappaNum. engE? idhai ellAm vittupudaRinga.

[MADDY]

another feather in Annan's cap :clap: he just knows how to manage things even when he is not 100%

[vanchi]

Thaliva

:notworthy: :notworthy: :thumbsup: :2thumbsup: :2thumbsup:

maintains the unique record of never losing a series

[Kalyasi]

Player Country Career Tests Won Lost Drawn Toss
Waugh, S R Australia 1985-2004 57 41 (71.93%) 9 (15.79%) 7 (12.28%) 31 (54.39%)
Bradman, D G Australia 1928-1948 24 15 (62.50%) 3 (12.50%) 6 (25.00%) 10 (41.67%)
Ponting, R T* Australia 1995- 77 48 (62.34%) 16 (20.78%) 13 (16.88%) 37 (48.05%)
Dhoni, M S * India 2005- 23 14 (60.87%) 3 (13.04%) 6 (26.09%) 8 (34.78%)
Hassett, A L Australia 1938-1953 24 14 (58.33%) 4 (16.67%) 6 (25.00%) 18 (75.00%)
Brearley, J M England 1976-1981 31 18 (58.06%) 4 (12.90%) 9 (29.03%) 13 (41.94%)
Woodfull, W M Australia 1926-1934 25 14 (56.00%) 7 (28.00%) 4 (16.00%) 12 (48.00%)
Richards, I V A West Indies 1974-1991 50 27 (54.00%) 8 (16.00%) 15 (30.00%) 23 (46.00%)
Pollock, S M South Africa 1995-2008 26 14 (53.85%) 5 (19.23%) 7 (26.92%) 9 (34.62%)
Jayawardene, D P M* Sri Lanka 1997- 28 15 (53.57%) 7 (25.00%) 6 (21.43%) 14 (50.00%)
Taylor, M A Australia 1989-1999 50 26 (52.00%) 13 (26.00%) 11 (22.00%) 26 (52.00%)
Vaughan, M P England 1999-2008 51 26 (50.98%) 11 (21.57%) 14 (27.45%) 24 (47.06%)
Cronje, W J South Africa 1992-2000 53 27 (50.94%) 11 (20.75%) 15 (28.30%) 22 (41.51%)
Chappell, I M Australia 1964-1980 30 15 (50.00%) 5 (16.67%) 10 (33.33%) 17 (56.67%)
May, P B H England 1951-1961 41 20 (48.78%) 10 (24.39%) 11 (26.83%) 27 (65.85%)
Lloyd, C H West Indies 1966-1984 74 36 (48.65%) 12 (16.22%) 26 (35.14%) 35 (47.30%)
Strauss, A J* England 2004- 31 15 (48.39%) 5 (16.13%) 11 (35.48%) 20 (64.52%)
Wasim Akram Pakistan 1985-2002 25 12 (48.00%) 8 (32.00%) 5 (20.00%) 8 (32.00%)
Hutton, L England 1937-1955 23 11 (47.83%) 4 (17.39%) 8 (34.78%) 7 (30.43%)
Jayasuriya, S T* Sri Lanka 1991-2007 38 18 (47.37%) 12 (31.58%) 8 (21.05%) 25 (65.79%)
Smith, G C* South Africa 2002- 82 38 (46.34%) 24 (29.27%) 20 (24.39%) 45 (54.88%)
Richardson, R B West Indies 1983-1995 24 11 (45.83%) 6 (25.00%) 7 (29.17%) 12 (50.00%)
Chappell, G S Australia 1970-1984 48 21 (43.75%) 13 (27.08%) 14 (29.17%) 29 (60.42%)
Benaud, R Australia 1952-1964 28 12 (42.86%) 4 (14.29%) 11 (39.29%) 11 (39.29%)
Ganguly, S C India 1996-2008 49 21 (42.86%) 13 (26.53%) 15 (30.61%) 21 (42.86%)
Javed Miandad Pakistan 1976-1993 34 14 (41.18%) 6 (17.65%) 14 (41.18%) 12 (35.29%)
Illingworth, R England 1958-1973 31 12 (38.71%) 5 (16.13%) 14 (45.16%) 15 (48.39%)
Hussain, N England 1990-2004 45 17 (37.78%) 15 (33.33%) 13 (28.89%) 19 (42.22%)
Howarth, G P New Zealand 1975-1985 30 11 (36.67%) 7 (23.33%) 12 (40.00%) 17 (56.67%)
Goddard, J D C West Indies 1948-1957 22 8 (36.36%) 7 (31.82%) 7 (31.82%) 12 (54.55%)
Lawry, W M Australia 1961-1971 25 9 (36.00%) 8 (32.00%) 8 (32.00%) 8 (32.00%)
Inzamam-ul-Haq Pakistan 1992-2007 31 11 (35.48%) 11 (35.48%) 9 (29.03%) 15 (48.39%)
Fleming, S P New Zealand 1994-2008 80 28 (35.00%) 27 (33.75%) 25 (31.25%) 38 (47.50%)
Border, A R Australia 1978-1994 93 32 (34.41%) 22 (23.66%) 38 (40.86%) 47 (50.54%)
Darling, J Australia 1894-1905 21 7 (33.33%) 4 (19.05%) 10 (47.62%) 7 (33.33%)
Dravid, R * India 1996- 25 8 (32.00%) 6 (24.00%) 11 (44.00%) 15 (60.00%)
Simpson, R B Australia 1957-1978 39 12 (30.77%) 12 (30.77%) 15 (38.46%) 19 (48.72%)
Dexter, E R England 1958-1968 30 9 (30.00%) 7 (23.33%) 14 (46.67%) 13 (43.33%)
Azharuddin, M India 1984-2000 47 14 (29.79%) 14 (29.79%) 19 (40.43%) 29 (61.70%)
Cowdrey, M C England 1954-1975 27 8 (29.63%) 4 (14.81%) 15 (55.56%) 17 (62.96%)
Gooch, G A England 1975-1995 34 10 (29.41%) 12 (35.29%) 12 (35.29%) 16 (47.06%)
Imran Khan Pakistan 1971-1992 48 14 (29.17%) 8 (16.67%) 26 (54.17%) 25 (52.08%)
Bedi, B S India 1966-1979 22 6 (27.27%) 11 (50.00%) 5 (22.73%) 13 (59.09%)
Walsh, C A West Indies 1984-2001 22 6 (27.27%) 7 (31.82%) 9 (40.91%) 13 (59.09%)
Kardar, A H Pakistan 1946-1958 23 6 (26.09%) 6 (26.09%) 11 (47.83%) 10 (43.48%)
Atherton, M A England 1989-2001 54 13 (24.07%) 21 (38.89%) 20 (37.04%) 23 (42.59%)
Sobers, G S A West Indies 1954-1974 39 9 (23.08%) 10 (25.64%) 20 (51.28%) 27 (69.23%)
Nawab of Pataudi Jr India 1961-1975 40 9 (22.50%) 19 (47.50%) 12 (30.00%) 20 (50.00%)
Ranatunga, A Sri Lanka 1982-2000 56 12 (21.43%) 19 (33.93%) 25 (44.64%) 29 (51.79%)
Lara, B C West Indies 1990-2006 47 10 (21.28%) 26 (55.32%) 11 (23.40%) 20 (42.55%)
Hammond, W R England 1927-1947 20 4 (20.00%) 3 (15.00%) 13 (65.00%) 11 (55.00%)
Smith, M J K England 1958-1972 25 5 (20.00%) 3 (12.00%) 17 (68.00%) 10 (40.00%)
Vettori, D L* New Zealand 1997- 30 6 (20.00%) 15 (50.00%) 9 (30.00%) 16 (53.33%)
Gavaskar, S M India 1971-1987 47 9 (19.15%) 8 (17.02%) 30 (63.83%) 22 (46.81%)
Streak, H H Zimbabwe 1993-2005 21 4 (19.05%) 11 (52.38%) 6 (28.57%) 13 (61.90%)
Hooper, C L West Indies 1987-2002 22 4 (18.18%) 11 (50.00%) 7 (31.82%) 15 (68.18%)
MacLaren, A C England 1894-1909 22 4 (18.18%) 11 (50.00%) 7 (31.82%) 11 (50.00%)
Tendulkar, S R* India 1989- 25 4 (16.00%) 9 (36.00%) 12 (48.00%) 15 (60.00%)
Gower, D I England 1978-1992 32 5 (15.63%) 18 (56.25%) 9 (28.13%) 14 (43.75%)
Gayle, C H* West Indies 2000- 20 3 (15.00%) 9 (45.00%) 8 (40.00%) 8 (40.00%)
Hughes, K J Australia 1977-1984 28 4 (14.29%) 13 (46.43%) 11 (39.29%) 13 (46.43%)
Kapil Dev India 1978-1994 34 4 (11.76%) 7 (20.59%) 22 (64.71%) 15 (44.12%)
Campbell, A D R Zimbabwe 1992-2002 21 2 (9.52%) 12 (57.14%) 7 (33.33%) 15 (71.43%)
Reid, J R New Zealand 1949-1965 34 3 (8.82%) 18 (52.94%) 13 (38.24%) 16 (47.06%)
Gatting, M W England 1978-1995 23 2 (8.70%) 5 (21.74%) 16 (69.57%) 14 (60.87%)
Flower, A Zimbabwe 1992-2002 20 1 (5.00%) 10 (50.00%) 9 (45.00%) 10 (50.00%)


Annan Number 4 in all time list... And he has very poor toss win %.... Point to be taken...

[lawmani]

"... you always hope you get some of the same players back, and maybe leave some who didn't get a chance to play because they may get a chance to get into the playing eleven of some other team," - MSD

What a man! MSD rocks!


Source: http://cricketnext.in.com/news/ipl-dhoni-happy-for-bigearning-indians/53154-13.html?from=tn

[vanchi]

yeah. :clap:

[Kalyasi]

"... you always hope you get some of the same players back, and maybe leave some who didn't get a chance to play because they may get a chance to get into the playing eleven of some other team," - MSD

What a man! MSD rocks!


Source: http://cricketnext.in.com/news/ipl-dhoni-happy-for-bigearning-indians/53154-13.html?from=tn

:notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy:

[ajaybaskar]

Ippadiyum yosikkalaamo?

[vanchi]

[tscii:a3df07a594]http://www.thehindu.com/sport/other-sports/article1075257.ece

Dhoni to be guest of honour at National Games

Indian captain MS Dhoni will be the guest of honour at the 34th National Games to be held here from February 12 to 26.

Dhoni is expected to grace to be present during the inauguration on February 12.

Sudesh Mahato, the Deputy Chief Minister and the Sports Minister of Jharkhand, told PTI that the State government has invited Dhoni to grace the event either during the inauguration or the closing ceremony and it is expected that he will be attending the inaugural ceremony of the games.

“Dhoni is from Ranchi and he is the son of the soil. He has given his consent and most probably he will be an added attraction at the inaugural ceremony of the National Games,” Mahato said.

He said that the State government is planning to invite President Pratibha Patil to inaugurate the games and the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the closing ceremony.

“In all 24 events will be organised in which 7063 players, 862 team officials, 1552 technical support officials and 490 local officials will attend,” Mahato said.[/tscii:a3df07a594]

8-)

[directhit]

South African all-rounder Albie Morkel has thanked India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni for inquiring about him after he was excluded from the side for the five-match one-day series against the visitors.

Dhoni inquired about Morkel, after the national selection panel led by former South Africa opener Andrew Hudson, gave the boot to the all-rounder.

"It was a great honour to hear that a player of (Dhoni's) calibre had good things to say about me, but I don't think the selectors will change their minds now," Morkel said.

"Naturally it was disappointing not to make the team, because it's now reasonably clear that it's the end of my dream of representing South Africa in the World Cup," the all-rounder was quoted as saying by Beeld.

Having played in 51 One-Day Internationals and 31 T20 matches, Morkel is still one of the most sought-after T20 players in the world.

He was the lone South African player to be retained by an IPL side, Chennai Super Kings, for the fourth edition of the T20 league starting in April.

Morkel also has a contract to play in Sri Lanka in July. "That is probably the direction I will have to take if the selectors believe I am not good enough to make the team," Morkel said adding that there were no "sour grapes" over his omission, even though he was waiting for the official reason.


http://cricket.ndtv.com/storypage.aspx?id=SPOEN20110166684&nid=79299&cp

[Kalyasi]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAZARvAGe8M&NR=1

Thalaivar Bare Body... Semmaya irukaar...

[Kalyasi]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VGNTu2EcDA

[ajaybaskar]

I read somewhere that Plessis was recommended by Albie and hence was the surprise pick in the IPL auction.

[Plum]

Albie's reco?

IvanE estraa luggage.

[ajaybaskar]

Dhoni at No. 13 in list of greatest ODI cricketers


NEW DELHI: The latest innovation to measure the impact and performance of cricketers, to be found on www.impactindexcricket.com, has two active Indian players in the top 20 of the ODI Impact Index: Mahendra Singh Dhoni at No. 13 and Sachin Tendulkar at No. 18. The only other active cricketers in that category are South African Jacques Kallis at No. 8, Australia's Shane Watson at 16 and West Indian Chris Gayle at 19. Dhoni and Sachin apart, Kapil Dev is the only Indian in the top 25, ranked at No. 9.

If you're surprised at Sachin's relatively low ranking, remember the new system does not rate cricketers by aggregates, but by how much of an impact the player has had in his team winning matches. Also, when you're talking about the 20 best of all time, there clearly isn't all that much to choose between the one on top and the one at the bottom of that exclusive club.

Everybody in the top 25 of the list has more or less multiple skills, maybe useful even as a part-timer with the ball or a handy batsman. The only one who makes it almost entirely on the strength of a single skill is West Indian Joel Garner, universally acknowledged as one of the most effective ODI bowlers ever and the master of the yorker in the death overs.

The system has been applied to all forms of the game, but with the ODI World Cup just round the corner, its creators have understandably decided to start by revealing their findings for the 50-over version.

Source: TOI

[ajaybaskar]

Pepsi Change The Game - Dhoni's Helicopter Shot

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hkg4w92fAmo

[directhit]

"He (Dhoni) is the most fascinating character at Chennai Super Kings. He is India's Ricky Ponting, an unpretentious working class boy with simple, clear thoughts on the game and a love of rolling up his sleeves and getting into it. Like Punter, he thrives in training. One minute he is batting, next he is throwing the stumps down, next he is onto something else. Dhoni is very direct.

"I related to Dhoni on several levels, including his ability to enjoy life outside the game and see cricket as a vehicle to pursue other passions. He is an all-action sort of character, in every way. He can be an elusive character. I have never once got him on the phone, and at times I think he likes to hide from the madhouse world in his hotel room, as well as getting out and doing his own things," Hayden wrote.

http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/35921/ganguly,-bhajji-chickened-out-of-nagpur-test-hayden

[directhit]

When Mahendra Singh Dhoni opened the bowling with a spinner in his first Test as captain in 2008, the message was clear -- he would not be a prisoner to convention.

Following hunches produced the desired results as Harbhajan Singh responded with four second-innings wickets to help India level a three-match series against South Africa on an underprepared, spinner-friendly Kanpur track.

"I prefer to go by instinct (in some situations)," Dhoni said after leading his team to a tense one-run victory over South Africa in the second one-day international in Johannesburg last month.

Dhoni was the first wicket-keeper to lead India in Tests, but had already proved his credentials as captain when his young side triumphed in the inaugural World Twenty20 championships in South Africa in 2007.

His stock rose instantly as he was named one-day skipper the same year, but at a time when India were trying to revive their fortunes in the 50-over game after the disastrous 2007 World Cup campaign in the Caribbean.

India bowed out in the first round after losing their opening match against Bangladesh in Trinidad, with former Australian batsman Greg Chappell as coach and Rahul Dravid as captain.

The national selectors plumped for Dhoni after record-breaking batsman Sachin Tendulkar refused to lead and, in turn, recommended the youngster for the job.

All captains are under pressure, but an Indian skipper is under more scrutiny than others because of fans' huge expectations in the cricket-crazy country.

So far, Dhoni has handled the pressure remarkably well.

He is not merely a cool captain, but also a devastating batsman and a safe wicket-keeper.

The burden of captaincy has not affected his batting as he cracked an unbeaten half-century in his early months as one-day skipper, powering his team to a five-wicket win over Pakistan in Guwahati in November 2007.

With former South African batsman Gary Kirsten as coach, Dhoni's Indians tasted success in home one-day series, beating England, Sri Lanka, South Africa and New Zealand in recent years.

India are ranked number one in Tests and number two in one-dayers, thanks to the Dhoni-Kirsten combination. They recently drew a tough three-Test series 1-1 in South Africa, the first time they returned home unbeaten from that country.

Dhoni had just four ODIS under his belt when he proved he had the ability to demoralise any attack with his power-hitting, smashing four sixes and 15 fours in a 123-ball 148 against Pakistan in Vishakhapatnam in 2005.

Sri Lanka's bowlers were to suffer the same year when Dhoni hammered an unbeaten 183 -- the highest by a wicket-keeper in one-day internationals -- with 10 sixes and 15 fours in the third one-dayer in Jaipur.

India expect Dhoni to continue performing the triple role with distinction in the World Cup.

http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/35869/india-skipper-dhoni-is-own-man

[ajaybaskar]

Friend just called from the stadium. He said there was thundering applause for Dhoni and Raina when they came in. Their stint with CSK has more or less made them sons of the soil. :-)

[ajaybaskar]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/cricket-world-cup-2011/interviews/Dhonis-comments-on-warm-up-matches-Sachin-unnecessary-Legends/articleshow/7501446.cms

[vanchi]

Lessons from the Mahi Way

He is just 29 and has a lot of cricket in him yet. A second career though is ready, carved and beckons Mahendra Singh Dhoni or MSD as he is referred to by cricket experts. He has the makings to be among the top motivational speakers, be a leadership guru and a mentor for budding CEOs. And corporate India is sure to queue up for a dose of guru gyaan. But it is Political India — particularly Team UPA — that desperately needs to seek tutorials from the young Captain Courageous. You could say it is easy to succumb to exaggeration amidst the euphoria of the World Cup. You could also argue that he is fortunate (though I prefer “brave”) to have been at the right place at the right time, after all India is obsessed with the lethal fatalism of destiny. There is though no denying his achievements.

MSD is poised on the cusp of history. He may or may not be lucky to win India the 2011 Cup but his legacy is here for posterity. Dhoni has led teams to victory in virtually every form of cricket — from T20 World Cup to topping the ICC Test rankings to leading the Chennai Super Kings which is a global team to victory in the Indian Premier League. Indian pacer Praveen Kumar may have been hijacked by hyperbole when he described Dhoni as “the Obama of cricket” but there is no disputing his leadership or the enigma that this leadership is wrapped in.

Nobody is quite sure whether madness is the method or there is a method in his madness. But his ability to achieve desired outcomes with given resources under varied conditions is unmatched. The context of limitations of talent and meeting public expectations may yield some lessons for the political class. After all as in government on the cricket field too a leader cannot don the role of all the players. Yes, the difference is that victory or defeat on the field is unlikely to be viewed as a life and death situation but unlike in politics failure can end a career. It is also worth recognising that the outcomes are achieved under intense scrutiny. Almost every Indian in the nation of 121 crore people is a self-certified expert. The inclusion of Ashish Nehra and the exclusion of Ravichandran Ashwin are subject to more scrutiny than parliamentary legislation. Like regional elections, every match — and cricket is the focus for over 150 days a year — is a virtual referendum on the talent of the players and the quality of leadership.

Interestingly the context of MSD and MMS — as Manmohan Singh is referred to on social networks — are accidental leaders. Dhoni strayed from soccer to cricket and from goal-keeping to goal setting. Dhoni burst into public imagination by displaying freedom from fear, with audacious strokes that made the team believe in the potential of the possible. Manmohan Singh, the second choice of P V Narasimha Rao, harvested public adulation by liberating India from the shackles of licence raj and the Hindu rate of growth. He has since turned cautious and boldness of approach is limited to — the nuclear deal or the persistence with Indo-Pak peace. In contrast, the inventor of the “helicopter shot” may have eschewed the stroke since but retains audacity in his approach.

Perhaps audacity is a function of youth, but there is no denying the need for audacity if change is the desired outcome. Consider the game plan in the current World Cup. Team India has built its strategy around Sachin Tendulkar, the God of cricket in India. But naturally the plan of every team has been to target Tendulkar. But Tendulkar’s failure in Chennai did not result in a complete collapse. That is primarily because every failure is backed by a Plan B, building partnerships. Obviously other players do play a role and this is the critical difference. Every player is assigned a role, an objective and empowered to achieve the result desired. Similarly this isn’t by any means the youngest or swiftest team but Dhoni strives to achieve efficiency by playing players to their strength on the field.

Evidently Dhoni has been successful in articulating this and communicating in analogies and metaphors. And remember he is dealing with players who have been captains, who have been playing even before he made his debut. Journalists and analysts familiar with team meetings and briefings are struck by the ability of MSD to rationalise objectives and explain decisions. The replacement of Yusuf Pathan with Suresh Raina for instance was succinctly explained in the need for India to bat for 50 overs. Dhoni is just as candid with his own mistakes, for instance in admitting to have read the Mohali pitch wrong. To borrow a phrase from management jargon, the team is on the same page.

Juxtapose this with the UPA. Assuming ‘inclusive growth’ is the instrument to alleviate poverty towards sustaining vote share, Team UPA must focus on rural development and GDP growth to fund it. The problem with rural development is twofold. The top-down approach needs to be replaced with a bottom up partnership with the states. Secondly there is little or no audit of money spent or reviews of outcomes. Clearly the sector requires a Tendulkar or a Yuvraj who can build the partnerships with states but has few takers and is left to tail-enders. If the UPA stated its objectives clearly wouldn’t the best in politics queue up to make a mark?

Leading the Indian cricket team is not unlike leading the UPA. Team India is selected by a committee reporting to the BCCI, which is a collection of subedars. Team UPA too is selected by a committee and is accountable to the coalition of political subedars called UPA. As with the UPA regional pressures and vote bank politics do play a role in the world of cricket too. The inclusion of Piyush Chawla over Pragyan Ojha or the selection of Virat Kohli and exclusion of Rohit Sharma were contested and tested by conspiracy theorists. Admittedly success has afforded MSD a stronger say in who should be in his team. At least he hasn’t yet complained about the compulsions of regional blocks in team selection.

It isn’t only about lack of talent. The UPA has talent and it is not just the presence of nine former CMs in the Cabinet. Pranab Mukherjee may not have set the markets rocking with reforms but he has ensured stability in the economy. P Chidambaram has delivered in the home ministry. Kapil Sibal has shaken the education sector with his ideas, even if some are seen as radical. Exceptions only prove the rule. The list of doers is shockingly short.

The moot issue seems to be lack of empowerment, a clear set of objectives and absence of rigorous ministerial accountability. And this would be true of many state governments flailing in fiscal profligacy and political bankruptcy. It would be true of parties too. The BJP for instance is struggling to find a captain. Indeed, political parties and governments have a startling similarity with the Indian cricket teams of yesteryears. Each player was a team playing for personal glory.

This can’t sustain if India has to win. Manmohan Singh, the longest serving PM since Mrs G, has the unique opportunity to change this. A new template of objectives and accountability will deliver a lasting legacy. India needs a courageous captain

Shankkar Aiyar, an analyst and a senior journalist currently on sabbatical, specialises in the interface of politics and economics

http://expressbuzz.com/opinion/columnists/lessons-from-the-mahi-way/261380.html

Mahi:-D:smokesmirk:

[directhit]

in this article about MSD,
Like he has always done, he will stay away from the bowlers meeting on Friday night, saying it helps him formulate his own alternative plans, if the bowling begins to fray on the field the next day. found this VERY VERY VERY INTERESTING!!! :smile:

http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc_cricket_worldcup2011/content/story/509084.html

[MADDY]

Kalyasi, Ajay, DH, Siva, raghav, hamid, raajarasigan - ellarum vaanga......

this is OUR day :bow: .......yaaru enna kettalum, appadi dhaan pannuvom-nnu sollanum :smokesmirk:

[vanchi]

Dhoni the great:smokesmirk::-D:victory:

WORLD CHAMPIONS/

WHAT A KNOCK AND WHAT A WAY TO FINISH THE MATCH :smokesmirk:

[satissh_r]

Ithukappramum Dhoniya yaarchum santhega patta personala nane auto eduthutu varuven..

[directhit]

http://www.india-forums.tv/images/cricket/wallpapers/MS-Dhoni10.jpg

[sathya_1979]

Ithukappramum Dhoniya yaarchum santhega patta personala nane auto eduthutu varuven..
I will bring in T-90

[sathya_1979]

Dhoni - Thanks for making a long-pending dream come true :notworthy:

[directhit]

http://i53.tinypic.com/25h2s5v.jpg

[Riyazz]

Kumtalakadi kumma va dhoni na summa va........ namma nest target u IPL 4........ :cheer:

[ajaybaskar]

Being his fan, I have had only moments of joy. First T20 WC.Then No.1 test team, Excellent shows in all IPL edition and CL. Now the icing in the cake. I am sure he'l give us lot more reasons to feel proud. PROUD TO BE A DHONI FAN.

[vanchi]

Absolutely. Proud to be a dhoni fan:-D

[ajaybaskar]

http://www.espncricinfo.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/131000/131013.jpg

[ajaybaskar]

http://drop.ndtv.com/albums/NEWS/final_win/gallery_7.jpg

[littlemaster1982]

Dhoni :notworthy: :notworthy: Now Dhoni is officially the best captain India ever had (surpassing Kapil Dev) :2thumbsup:

[kid-glove]

Dhoni :notworthy: :notworthy: Now Dhoni is officially the best captain India ever had (surpassing Kapil Dev) :2thumbsup:
Crap.
a) The team Kapil had
b) beating THAT West Indies side? (which would thrash this current Indian side & then some)

[ajaybaskar]

http://p.imgci.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/131000/131018.jpg

[littlemaster1982]

Crap.
a) The team Kapil had
b) beating THAT West Indies side? (which would thrash this current Indian side & then some)

You are welcome to disagree, but let's leave it at that :D

[kid-glove]

There's no logic to say Dhoni is a better captain/leader. Kapil's 83 achievement is infinitely more miraculous. The finals is also on another level. To defend 183 against that Windies side. Some would switch to Dhoni's SIX, but THE touchstone moment of Indian Cricket is when Kapil runs back to catch Viv Richards off Madan Lal's bowling.

[Plum]

Dhoni - mind power. Sheer will to bend fate to his designs. :bow:


Kid, this is Dhoni's moment. Freeya vidunga. Kapil just had that World Cup. Dhoni has a lot more with more to come. Yet, it would be churlish to deny Kapil his credit, I agree. The odds he surmounted, including a bunch of seniors who didn't exactly want him to glory, unlike this group blessed with seniors like Sachin and Zaheer, who is a mini-captain by himself, were unbelievable. And 175 from 17/5. Now, that's some inspirational innings. Frankly, that team was mediocre and this is a much better team. You've got to give it to this bunch.(Even Bhajji is better - they had, like, Ravi Shastri as spinner :lol: )
But that debate is for another day.
This day Dhoni is ThE MaN. Glory be to the Badshah of Indian Cricket - this is your destiny andyou deserve it for the sheer calm and composure you brought to the team. This Cup is first and foremost yours, never mind the Top performances from Yuvi, Sachin, Gautam, Zaheer, Kohli and Ashwin.

One rikkost: Pls understand the need to groom an attacking spinner. Kaila veNNai irukku. Please Dalda-vai teamlErundhu eduththuttu veNNaiya neiyyA kAichunga

[Plum]

The closest Dhoni came to revealing what ticks his mind is the bit about potential questions on Ashwin, Sree, Yuvi at #5 and so on, motivating him to finish it off himself.

That speaks of a mindset of the winners/achievers. Their high comes in bending fate to their will. Everything else comes second. They set a target, and give everything they have in pursuit. Such an approach always brings glory. Not because they always take the perfect decision - as Dhoni demonstrated, he made some blunders that could have killed any other match or captain - but they come through, not because it is fate but because they have this primal desire to stamp their mark on the moment. It has taken me time - but I understood a valuable lesson yesterday when he said that. You shape moments. Moments don't shape you.

[V_S]

Dhoni - mind power. Sheer will to bend fate to his designs. :bow:
So true. Beautifully said Plum :clap: This man is something! :notworthy:

[ajaybaskar]

Dhoni is now India's most successful captain in limited-overs cricket, having won both the World Twenty20 and the World Cup, and when asked to explain his success, he laughed. "I'm lucky. I always get good players. The players have responded to me even if it's a Test side, where there were senior players who were part of the side before I started playing for India. Then, the youngsters coming in have contributed a lot, they have been willing to give more than 100%." He said it was "the character of the individuals [in the team] that helped us win this trophy."

http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc_cricket_worldcup2011/content/story/509312.html

[sathya_1979]

Comment in Dinamalar: நீ தோனி மட்டும் அல்ல, நல்ல தோணியும் கூடத்தான், இந்திய அணியை நல்ல படியாக கரை சேர்த்துவிட்டாய்.வாழ்த்துக்கள்.

[directhit]

MS after the CB series victory :D

'If there's commitment, that's victory for me'

Six months into his stint as India's captain in the shorter forms, Mahendra Singh Dhoni can afford to look back in satisfaction. Two of India's most momentous wins in recent times - in the World Twenty20 and the CB Series - have come on his watch. Along the way, he has nurtured a young side he is justifiably proud of. It's about the spirit in the dressing room, he tells Cricinfo in this interview. "I've got a successful team who want go out there, who want to enjoy cricket, who want to give more than 100%."

When you were appointed Twenty20 captain last year, you had said, "It's not about captaining but playing." Do you still believe that?
I still believe in that. One of my theories is to be captain on the field and off the field you need to totally enjoy each other's company. I don't like discussing cricket off the field.

As captain you'll take vital decisions and your thinking or decisions can have a big impact on the game, but a lot depends on the individuals you give jobs to. That's why I've always said the captain is the guy who accumulates all the pressure and then channels it to different individuals - bowlers or allrounders or batsmen. Basically he's a selfish guy who picks guys to do the job for him. It's very important for him to motivate others who'll do loads of jobs for him.

For me, fielding and running between the wickets are two things that are very important. For that you need to motivate the guys about how much of an effect it will have on the game. I was very glad to see the team field and run the way they did throughout the CB Series. Even when they got out for a low score, the fielding and running was great. The emphasis was there. They reacted in a great way - that's what I wanted: it was not about winning all the games. It was not like if you lose you get demoralised.

One of the best achievements from the victory was the dressing-room atmosphere. It was very calm and cool throughout - even when we lost the Twenty20 game ... right till the last game. It's very important to get that balance because you are playing a game in which you can't control everything. If your dressing-room atmosphere is great then most of the time you'll get a favourable result. That was very important and I was actually marking it. Of course, a bit of disappointment will be there [when you lose], a bit of excitement will be there when you win. But if it's calm and cool it's great, and there are more chances of being successful. Especially guys who've not played at the international level - when they see a relaxed dressing room that's what stays in their mind.

You speak like an experienced campaigner in terms of captaincy. You seem to have a real pulse of what's going on. Have you captained at any level before?
At a bigger level, I don't think I've captained anywhere.

At school I used to score regularly but I think they were quite afraid of my temperament. I was very aggressive with the guys who were not really 100% on the field. Once, in a senior district tournament game, we were playing a comparatively weak side on a matting wicket. There were some guys who dropped catches and were laughing around and all that stuff. I said, "Okay, I'm bowling." I told those three or four guys: "You stand at midwicket and do all the talking. I'll manage with the six others."

I believe in giving more than 100% on the field and I don't really worry about the result if there's great commitment on the field. That's victory for me.

After that I don't think I captained much ... got selected for the first-class team and started playing for the Ranji, Duleep and Deodhar Trophy teams for my state. Twenty20 was my first opportunity.

Instinctively, have you thought like a captain even before you became one?
Not really. It came to me quite late. Till class 10 or 11 I wouldn't really go up front and say things. I would wait and watch. As the wicketkeeper, you always are in a position where the captain comes up to you and asks different things. In a way it goes on in the subconscious. Being a wicketkeeper really helped me more than anything. Whatever was in my mind I used to speak. I never used to just go through the motions and follow whatever the skipper said. Whatever I felt, I used to say, but if I was not sure I wouldn't really answer. I didn't believe in confusing the captain more. I was pretty clear in my thoughts and it came to me gradually, watching the game from behind the stumps - how it progresses, how it is played in different parts of the world.

In India you have to make quite a few bowling changes, because at times when a partnership is going and the wicket is flat and you are playing with four bowlers, it gets tough for the skipper. That's the time you step in - being the keeper you read the wicket well. That really helped me more than anything else.

Strange you say that, because in the history of cricket there haven't been that many successful wicketkeeper-captains. I can think of only Alec Stewart recently, who did the job for a while. Mark Taylor said it is tough for a wicketkeeper to captain because keeping is a laborious process where one needs to focus constantly. But you seem to have turned it to your advantage.
More than being a successful captain I've got a successful team who want go out there, who want to enjoy cricket, who want to give more than 100%. They take everything as a challenge, whether it's fielding, bowling, batting, off-the-field activities or anything. It's not about the captain, because once in a while you take a big decision that has a big impact. It's more about the individual - how they respond to you and what kind of relationship you have with your team.

Whatever responsibility I've given to any individual, they have responded in a great way. That's what helped me. Whether it was Gautam Gambhir, Rohit Sharma, Irfan Pathan, Piyush Chawla, PK [Praveen Kumar] or any of the other guys, each one performed. That's what you want: you know if you give responsibility to any of the guys they'll come up and they'll perform.

Then there were individuals in the side who never got a chance - in ten matches there was hardly any rotation of the batsmen. It is very important that the guys who are not playing take it in a good way and don't start thinking negative things, because ultimately they'll get a chance to play. I believe in giving a guy a consistent period to perform, not make him think, "If I'm not performing in this game or a few games, I won't be part of the team". I like taking all the guys into a comfort zone and creating the best atmosphere where they can perform. Till now I've been successful.

[directhit]

Was that one of the first priorities when you became captain - the loyalty aspect? One of early statements you made was: "I want a team that can stand before a truck." That really brought out the fact that you wanted people to be able to give anything to you. You thrust responsibility onto people at big moments - Yusuf Pathan [opening the batting in the World Twenty20 final], Joginder Sharma [bowling the last over in the same game], and Praveen Kumar [opening the bowling in the CB Series finals]?
That's one of my priorities, of course. The Twenty20 was a big stage and the best part was, nobody expected us to win as we had just played one game before that, so nobody was really counting on us. There were guys who wanted to perform, who wanted to get into the side, wanted their team to win. That's what happened - there was some guy or the other who stood up to the task with the ball or with the bat or on the field.

After that we started enjoying each other's success. If I score a hundred, of course I will enjoy it. But if your team-mates start enjoying your hundred that's when you know you are moving in the right direction.

In the Twenty20 World Cup we were thirsty. We tasted victory and we knew how it feels to be victorious. That really worked for us. After that, though we lost against Australia at home, we still set standards. The aggression was there and everything went off well and if we'd batted better in Nagpur then things would have looked different. The World Twenty20 win was the starting point - not from the victory point of view but the way we performed, the way we enjoyed each other's success. Even some of the senior guys who'd missed out, their involvement was great. Everybody was coming up with ideas, everybody wanted to win each and every game. That was the turning point. That's what is needed.

In the South Africa game in the World Twenty20, you sent Rohit Sharma up the order when he thought you were going in to bat instead. Where do you get the confidence to take such a decision?
I always had faith in Rohit ... and it's not like I don't have faith in anybody else. In the one-dayers I follow overs, in the sense that I want to bat after the 20th over. In the same way in Twenty20 one of the theories for me is to bat after the eighth over so I can play a few overs and stay till the end when the bowler is under same kind of pressure. And when you have a batsman who is a strokeplayer, who without taking too many risks can easily score more than a run a ball in that format of the game, then you'll always push him up. It worked for me and Rohit also gained very valuable experience out of that.

That's the way it's going to happen, whether in India or abroad. At times you'll see me or Yuvraj [Singh] going up the order if there's a nice performance or if there's a nice partnership of 20-25 overs. If you have guys who can really bat at any number, it's great. That's what happened with us when we did those 17 consecutive run-chases where we had Yuvraj, me and various other batsmen who were willing to bat, and performed, at different positions. So rather than having a fixed batting order, we had guys who could bat anywhere. At times you want to keep a left-right combination on the field, which means that Yuvraj might have to bat at five instead of four. All these things make an impact on the game. But one of the main things is how the guy who has been demoted takes it. If he takes it in a positive way, he can only get better.

So how do you explain it to him?
I keep it very simple: "This is the thing I want and that's the way it'll go." So instead of going there and explaining too many things and confusing yourself and confusing him, it's important to make it very simple. At the international level you have guys who've played a lot - either at the domestic or at the international level - so I don't really believe in telling them too many things or making everything clear - they are clever enough to know what is happening and what are the demands of the game. That's one of my theories. I think it's working.

People talk about leading by example. You have increasingly been tempering your batting. Have you felt the need to change your game as a captain?
If you see, I've always done that. I made 183 against Sri Lanka and immediately after, in the next game, in Pune, I completely changed my game.

If we are close to 10 or 12 runs needed per over - that is the time I go after the bowler. One of my beliefs is to play according to the situation and what the situation demands. If you need 30-odd runs to win and if you have 45 or 70 balls, you don't really have to play big shots - especially when you are playing at 5, 6 or 7, when you know how much batting is behind you and that if you play a rash shot the guy who comes in is under pressure. I realised that when we were playing in the 2006 Champions Trophy against England in Jaipur, where I went for a big shot, got out and immediately, after one ball, Suresh Raina played one onto the stumps. Then Bhajji [Harbhajan] and Yuvraj were batting. That's when I realised how tough it can get. That's when I said that unless it gets real close I'm not going for my shots. If you are open-minded and if you are learning from each and every game, that really helps you.

[directhit]

A famous Australian selector said that country cricketers, people who come from smaller places, have always been fine captains. Do you also think they come with extra hunger, extra smartness? In a way, you are India's first small-town captain. Has that worked to your advantage?
In a way, I believe in that, because if you are from a smaller place where the cricket infrastructure is not good, you have to struggle a lot. You don't get good practice facilities, you don't play too many games on turf wickets, and even to get into your home side you have to struggle a lot. All of these things do have an impact on the guy's playing style or the way he thinks of cricket. He is very clear about one thing: if he performs, only then is he going to stay there. It's not like the guys from the metros or big cities are not good enough or mentally tough: the guys from smaller states or smaller cities, they struggle a bit more.

You've broken the theory that cricketers only come from the bigger cities. Was it a challenge to come through to the first-class level to the level you've risen to now?
To me, even to get into my Ranji Trophy side was a big thing. Fortunately we had a selector who believed in youngsters. We qualified for the Under-19 that year and made it to the finals, so there was a big change and all of a sudden we saw five youngsters getting into the Bihar Ranji squad. That was a start. Bihar was considered a small state and for you to be a part of the zonal team, specially to be in the XI, it is tough. You have to perform consistently for that. So every stage, wherever you are playing, it gets a bit tough. You have to be very consistent.

For me, being a wicketkeeper really helped. The only guys you compete with are other wicketkeepers. So in your zone you actually compete with four other guys.

I believed in perfomance. I never picked up the newspapers to see if I was picked for the Duleep Trophy or Deodhar Trophy matches for East Zone. For me, it was more about playing cricket, enjoying cricket. I knew if I'm good enough I'll get a chance, and for that I have to be consistent. In my mind I was very clear that if they don't give me a chance for Duleep or Deodhar Trophy, it doesn't really matter - I'm happy playing for my state. If I can play consistently well for my state that's good enough for me because I love playing cricket more than anything else.

We heard a story of you turning out for Railways and keeping for three balls and being rejected.
I don't really know the exact year when the trials were held at the Karnail Singh Stadium [Railways' home ground, in Delhi]. Before that, I think, Railways had done really well. I was part of the trials, I played a few balls, I kept wicket, and I was turned down. It never really bothered me. Later, when I got selected for the Duleep Trophy, I got a call from Railways asking me to play for them. I said, "No, no, I'm not coming." That's what happened. Perhaps I was rude or whatever, but it had a big impact on me as well.

That incident really pushed me to do better. I was neglected in a big way at that trial. I got more determined to be at a level where you are performing consistently and you are recognised by everyone.

All your experiences - did they bring home to you the fact that players have to be given a extended chance? That you can't keep chopping and changing, you need a settled side? In the CB Series you said that irrespective of what happened, Yuvraj would play every game. Is that partly because of your experiences?
In one game you really can't decide whether a guy is good or bad. If he scores well, you cannot say he is excellent or he is not really good. Most of the guys in the past have proved that wrong - in the sense that they have come back. They struggled but came back and performed. So you cannot judge from one game or one series whether he is good or bad.

This [giving players an extended run] is one thing that will go on. It gets really tough because of the amount of cricket we play and the amount of competition that is around, but I think at the same time a fair chance must be given to the individual.

[directhit]

How intense a student of the game are you?
I'm not really a keen watcher of cricket. Even in the last World Cup, in South Africa, I just watched Sachin [Tendulkar] bat. The last game we played, we lost to Australia, and I only watched Sachin bat. I cannot sit in a chair and watch. I don't study cricket too much. Whatever I have learned or experienced is through cricket I've played on the field, and whatever little I have watched. And statistics, I know nothing. If you ask me "Who is the first player to do this or that?" you won't get anywhere close to a correct answer from me.

Do you look at matches played at venues previously?
Of course. My video analyst supplies all the facts to me ... but everything changes, you know. In Australia the wickets were very different. To start with, I had great difficulty reading the wickets but by the end I was quite good. You keep in mind what happened in those conditions before, but normally you look at the wicket and decide what will happen or what may happen. We played with a couple of spinners on more than one occasion and some people thought that those were not wickets where spinners would get any sort of help, but they ended up helping them.

So would you say it is through experience that you interpret the conditions and opposition?
I don't really sit in front of a laptop and analyse everything. I attend the bowlers' meetings and all and most things get into my head. I don't have to push anything into my head. Reading and getting anything into the mind is tough for me. If I visualise something or if I see something, it gets more quickly into my head. Instead of wasting four hours reading something, I would rather see something in clips and get output out of it.

Why do you think that is? Is it impatience or restlessness?
It doesn't attract me. It's not restlessness, because I get glued to video games for three or four hours.

Cricket - I could never sit down for three and a half hours to watch a whole innings. When I started understanding cricket, back then it was mostly the first 15 overs, depending on start. If Sachin and Sourav are batting and they don't get out for five overs then you know that till the 15th over the match will be interesting. If either of them carried on - they were aggressive and used to go after the bowlers - I used to watch till the game was interesting. After that I would wait for the 40th or 42nd over. I have never watched a game from the first over to the 50th over.

But you keep wicket, where focus is so important.
Yes, but that involves me. Your interest is there, you know what you're doing. Sitting and watching the game is not an attraction for me. When you're behind the stumps in the game, you are involved. You want to give more than 100 per cent. If you have not scored, you have to help others with the gloves, in the fielding department, stopping runs.

You don't seem to communicate too much on the field but one of the bowlers said recently, "If the plans are fine he is okay, but if the plans change, he will immediately come up and talk."
I give first preference to the bowler. I ask them for their fields and they say, "Okay, this is the field I want." And if it's a first-change bowler, for example, then I will tell him, "Look, this is what is happening." Maybe Irfan or Praveen Kumar ... I will tell Irfan, "Very little chances of you bringing the ball in, maybe the ball will slide away. So you can think of this field." Whatever I can suggest. The initial balls he will bowl according to his field - according to what he thinks will happen. Then if he's not successful with his field, that's the time I step in and say, "Okay, this is it, now you have to bowl according to my field. Because your plan is not working. So this is the plan that's been given to you and you should be bowling to it." He may be happy about it or not.

At times even if the bowlers are going for runs, if the batsmen are clearing the in-field and there are no catching opportunities, I would rather have one slip and a floater instead of having a catcher at midwicket or a catching cover. Because ultimately the batsmen are trying to go over the top, hitting sixes and one-bounce fours. It's a bit different, but that's what I do. Some of the guys come up to me and say, "Remove the slip" but I say, "What's the need? Even if I remove the slip, the batsmen are hitting sixes. You can have as many fielders but if they're going for a six it will still be a six."

[directhit]

You seem to call a spade a spade. When you compared Sreesanth and Munaf Patel recently [Dhoni said that he gave Munaf a chance in one of the CB Series games because, unlike Sreesanth, he would bowl to his field] it wasn't taken that seriously. But if the team was under pressure, would you consider doing that? It could be construed as too cocky.
If you see, in India things depend on the result. Most things are commented upon after you see the result. Most of my statements are based on what goes on in the field. So if you're seeing the game, you know whatever I am saying is mostly what happens on the field. Not point camouflaging things or defending anyone because whatever is happening or has happened, everyone has seen it. Of course, you need to support your players. That I will always do, whatever happens.

So you say those things with the confidence that the player you are talking about won't mind.
Of course. That's the kind of response you should get from your side. After all, he also knows that if I'm batting badly I know what's happening. So he shouldn't be really upset about it if anybody says anything about him. Of course, as I have said, I will defend my players till the end.

You are seen as composed and calm. There are a few members of the side who some people say go over the top. Are you someone who believes in limits?
I just tell them, "Look, the ICC is there. They have guidelines. You are not dumb or stupid not to know the limitations. If you overstep that, everybody feels you have crossed the boundary." And the guy who oversteps also knows that.

I'm not the guy who will go up to the match referee and beg and say, "No, no, it's his first time." If you have done it knowing everything, then whatever punishment is there, you should get it. Everybody realises, everywhere in the world, that there are certain guidelines that need to be followed.

And being a professional cricketer, playing at the highest level - you are earning most amount of money over here - you have to be at your best. People may provoke you to do something but if you do something, one thing is sure: if you cross the boundary you will get punished. Personally, I believe if you get punished a few times, you know what's happening and what your boundaries are. There are times with young bloods, they don't know much about it. You need to be careful and you have to say things to them. Most of the guys know. If you've played ten or 15 games you know each and every thing about international rules and regulations.

Do the public, or some people who are criticising the players for going over the top, need to realise that this is the way it is - that there's so much hard work, so much tension involved, that things tend to spill over some times?
We play according to the opposition as well. In the CB Series you hardly saw any conflict between the Indian side and the Sri Lanka side. It's the way the game goes on. There will be a bit of a verbal fight even if it's Sri Lanka or any other side. But you know ...

Was it a premeditated strategy, to give back as good as you got?
We had set the standards back in India. Back in India when we played against Australia, we had set the standards of aggression - what we really wanted to do on the field. If we were not up to the mark in Australia, people would have said, "Fake aggression, just for when they were playing at home". But we went with the same set of standards even when we played Australia in Australia. It was not fake aggression. That's what the team can do and that's how we should be playing our cricket.

Enjoying the successes, celebrating the successes, is very important. If you get a wicket, you express yourself - of course, being within the boundaries is important again. But that's the way you've got to enjoy cricket. And that was one of the points I made during the World Twenty20.

You talked about playing according to the opposition. Do you think the Indians have learned from the Aussies and beaten them at their own game?
I've always felt that if you're playing against an aggressive side you have to play an aggressive game. Especially against Australia. You can't just look to play and win - it's batting, bowling, fielding, aggression, everything. Fortunately, this side has got a few players who can speak and do well at the same time and won't get disturbed by it. And there are others who don't speak that much. You need to identify those who can be pepped up and do well while they're speaking. In a way I'm fortunate to have those players in the side, rather than having to ask those who are not comfortable doing it to do so. If you have a guy who is able to do it and who should do it, I make it a point that he does it.

You seemed very calm at the end of the CB Series. You seemed to go into a zone.
It was good to see the reaction of the other players. Of course, I could have reacted in the same way but seeing others gave me more pleasure. I had back pain as well - whenever I tried to do anything it was paining a bit.

It was great to see each and every one enjoy the success, enjoy the victory. Not only the guys who were playing, even the outsiders, support staff, the 17-member squad.

Your team seems to believe in expressing themselves and enjoying themselves. Has this been a conscious strategy?
Not really a conscious effort but it's really about being yourself. This is the highest level and different people have different natures. They speak different languages but one thing is sure: everybody wants to have fun. That's where you don't want restrictions. On the field you have restrictions, but off the field it's very important to enjoy. And after all, it's a sport and this is the life you've got. If you're not enjoying it, then when there are few a series where you're playing under pressure, you won't enjoy it at all. And that would be the point cricket will start getting into your head. So it's very important to enjoy. To be yourself.

There are a few jokers in the side - those who have a better sense of humour compared to the others. So they are the guys who make the dressing room great or the practice arena great. Got to enjoy whether you're batting, bowling, fielding. You can keep the intensity level high with all the talk and fun that goes around.

You seem to be pretty keen on your players going to watch movies
Movies are a big part of our Indian culture. Everybody wants to go and watch a movie in a theatre - especially with the types of theatres we've got right now. You don't want to watch it in on television, you want to go out there and enjoy. It can be a bit of a hassle. You can get mobbed. But we inform the mall owners or theatre owners that we are coming.

Anil Kumble leads as much by example and presence. Has he been an influence on your captaincy?
He's a great guy, leads from the front. He's the sort of guy, if he's on the field, he's always there to win a game. Even if the opposition needs one run to win and they have 55 balls, if he's bowling, he will look to get the batsman out. He's like, "Till they win, I'm not losing." His communication is a lot better than mine. It's one of the things I'm learning and should learn. The rest I think we're the same. I think communication-wise he's a lot better than me.

There's talk that you are keen on players that you want. Was that one of the reasons why there was not enough of a fight when it came to retaining the senior players?
I was pretty clear about the players that I wanted in the side. That's what I said to the selectors as well. You can see the kind of team that I got. I can't really say much more than this but ...

Was there an extra effort when you reached the finals - an extra incentive to show that this team could do it?
The process was criticised, when the one-day team was selected, and the timing of the selection ... At times it is important to send the message across. At times people neglect the answer. They had asked the question, but when they got the answer, they didn't really put anything on the question they asked ... In a way I made it clear: these were the questions that were asked and now that we have performed, why aren't people asking those questions?

If the result wasn't in our favour, what would have happened then? Would people have really been behind this side? You questioned this side and now that this side has performed, you should back them; you should say good things about them as well. We all knew what would have happened if the side didn't win in Australia. It would have been, "Oh, we all knew this side wouldn't win". But now that it has done well, why don't you appreciate this side?

Of course, we had one of the worst flops in the Twenty20, and one of the best wins in the one-day series - beating Australia. You can have a good day and you can beat them but beating them in two consecutive finals in three days, that's a significant achievement. Of course, you can't really live off that. You need to keep performing, raising your standards - you have to keep doing that.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/343750.html

[kid-glove]

Re.91* last night.

Best shot of the game? Picking the slow ball of Malinga perfectly to leg glance to boundary. Looked nice too.

[directhit]

Re.91* last night.

Best shot of the game? Picking the slow ball of Malinga perfectly to leg glance to boundary. Looked nice too.:lol: the six definitely for me, yes the leg glance was v.good... he was totally at ease facing Malinga as well as Murali...

[directhit]

We felt the pressure - Dhoni (article by Sharda Ugra)

It was the first time in six weeks that MS Dhoni could be heard doing what can only be described as giggling. Usually self-contained, the India captain arrived at the underground media conference room, World Cup medal around his neck, Man-of-the-Tournament Yuvraj Singh at his side, and turned into someone else.

Twisted into a knot of concentration and anxiety for six weeks during the World Cup, now that the title has been won, Dhoni suddenly found he could let all the tension go, take a step back from the edge, and relax. More than once in a 25-minute conversation, Dhoni collapsed in mirth, pressing the microphone to his forehead because he couldn't remember the first part of two long questions he had been asked. Or it may have been because one of the questions wanted his reaction to some public sentiment that he should now try to run the country.

Normally he replies to questions only in English, even when asked in Hindi. But on Saturday night, Dhoni switched languages several times as he spoke of the strains his team had been under during the World Cup.

"The pressure you go through is a lot; we felt it throughout the tournament," he said before describing what it was like inside the Indian team's bubble. "If you ask the players, they were not eating well because of anxiety. Not pressure, but anxiety. There would be food in front of you but you wouldn't feel like eating it."

To find a way to adjust to the nervousness, Dhoni said the players tried dealing with nerves in differnt ways. "We said avoid it, do this, do that," but the strain was always felt. However, everyone in the squad had, Dhoni said, eventually coped well. "The kind of extra responsibility that each and everybody had was enormous. This is what we had wanted to achieve; we had set our eyes on it one-and-a-half years ago."

Sitting next to him was Yuvraj, the player who exemplified both the performance India put in and the anxiety they had been through on their way to becoming the first team to win a World Cup final at home. When Dhoni was asked how Yuvraj had been in the dressing room during the tournament, he replied with a smile: "He has been vomiting a lot," and then went on to answer the question.

Yuvraj told ESPNcricinfo, as he crossed the Wankhede to return to his dressing room, that he had been physically ill several times during the tournament. "Anxiety, anxiety," he explained. "This was the World Cup and that anxiety can really be heavy."

The burden that Yuvraj and his team-mates had been carrying around over the last six weeks suddenly fell away after the final. Everything had turned into lightness. When he first entered the media conference room, Yuvraj climbed onto the dais, calling out loudly to the journalists: "badhaiyaan ho, badhaiyaan ho [congratulations, congratulations]". During the session the two men traded jokes, and towards the end, Yuvraj was heard saying under his breath to his captain in Hindi: "short answer, please." :rotfl:

Dhoni is not given to particularly short answers, except when he kills a question with a joke. He spoke lucidly of what was going through his mind after he hit the winning runs. "Emotionally, I was confused; I wanted a wicket [stump]". But he found himself at the centre of the pitch with Yuvraj at the other end. "I thought hug-vug we will do later, first take the wicket." :lol: He then ran over to his own end to pull out the stump, after which Yuvraj jumped on him, pulling him into a bear hug. "It was an emotional moment," Dhoni said. "I was confused, I didn't know what to do at the time, how to show my emotions."

The decision to promote himself up the order ahead of the in-form Yuvraj had also, Dhoni said, been taken under a certain kind of pressure because of the risk it involved. "It was a big decision, I knew that if I promoted myself and didn't score runs I would be asked why I couldn't stay back? If I promoted myself there would be two left-hand batsmen after me and if I got out the side may have been in trouble."

He said the decision was based on the logic that as Gambhir was batting well, all Dhoni would need to do was rotate strike. Also, India knew the dew factor was going to kick in and Dhoni believed he had the added advantage of being able to read Muttiah Muralitharan's doosra. "I have played a lot with Murali [for the Chennai Super Kings] and I know his doosra quite well, and he knows that also. I was able to put a bit of pressure on him"

The advantage of running well with Gambhir - their partnership extending back to their India A days in 2003-2004 - also tilted the decision towards promoting himself. "We don't take risky singles but try to convert one or one-and-a-half runs into two runs. It was an ideal combination and we were batting together after a long time. We ran well, and backed each other. We knew if we took the game close enough with the Powerplay left, we would achieve the target even if the runs needed were eight an over."

Dhoni is now India's most successful captain in limited-overs cricket, having won both the World Twenty20 and the World Cup, and when asked to explain his success, he laughed. "I'm lucky. I always get good players. The players have responded to me even if it's a Test side, where there were senior players who were part of the side before I started playing for India. Then, the youngsters coming in have contributed a lot, they have been willing to give more than 100%." He said it was "the character of the individuals [in the team] that helped us win this trophy."

India's win came inside the refurbished Wankhede Stadium, where the stands are now built on a vertical climb and the capacity has been reduced to 33,000. On Saturday night, however, the sound created was amplified as the partnerships for the third and fourth wickets grew. The crowd, Dhoni said, gave the batsmen strength. "During the Gambhir-Kohli partnership, ever run was applauded as if it was a boundary."

The dew on the ground had helped the Indian batsmen, as did the easing up of the wicket. But the key according to Dhoni was the combined effort. "It was a pressure game, but everyone contributed. When you share the pressure then it becomes easy."

India's performance at the World Cup, Dhoni said, had been based on a plan that was born about 18 months ago and was a result of methodically resting and rotating players. "We wanted to win the trophy for each other first. The first thing you want to do is give them [team-mates and support staff] happiness; to see it in their eyes."

He said that rather than try to expand the number of people for whom the World Cup was to be won, the team said: "Okay let's concentrate and keep it small. If you do well and win the World Cup, the whole country has a share in it."

http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc_cricket_worldcup2011/content/current/story/509312.html