MS Dhoni - The most successful captain of India

[littlemaster1982]

For Dhoni fans here :D

http://i.imgur.com/nP8Pe.png

[sathya_1979]

MSD averages 74+ in winning ODI matches - Best of all time :clap: Out of 6000 runs, 4000 are for winning cause :cool: A great finisher!

[directhit]

MOTTAI BOSS!! :smokesmirk:

http://p.imgci.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/131000/131064.jpg

[sathya_1979]

http://cricketnext.in.com/news/dhoni-sees-bright-future-for-india/56180-13.html

Dhoni sees bright future for India

Mumbai: Mahendra Singh Dhoni believes India's World Cup winners have a duty to ensure that the country's next generation of players can profit from the success of the class of 2011.

Dhoni, who played a captain's role with his man of the match 91 not out in Saturday's six-wicket win over Sri Lanka, said the seeds of victory were planted in the 1983 title triumph of Kapil Dev's side.

The nurturing has continued ever since, albeit with varying degrees of success.

"It started with the 1983 win. And two big players Anil Kumble and Sachin Tendulkar came on the scene, followed by Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid," said the skipper.

"It is due to them we are getting a lot of money and respect. We are trying to pass it on to the next generation." :notworthy:

Dhoni also insisted that success in the World Cup final is a reflection of the growing might of India itself.

"In the last three to four years we have done well in shooting, badminton, tennis, hockey and football as well," he said.

"We are growing as a sporting nation. But cricket is special because of the infrastructure."

Dhoni explained India's World Cup win had been the result of months of careful planning and preparation.

"We have achieved something great. About one-and-a-half-and a half years ago, we had set our eyes on the World Cup. Whatever we were doing on the field, we had a long-term goal to do well in the World Cup.

"We peaked at the right time and carried that momentum into the final," explained the wicketkeeper after a tournament where India lost just the once, to South Africa, and tied with England.

India have a packed upcomimg programme, including tours of the West Indies, England and Australia before the year is out, as well as home internationals.

Yet before any of that comes the latest lucrative edition of the Twenty20 Indian Premier League, starting on April 8, with Dhoni having led the Chennai Super Kings to victory in 2010.

"I don't think (we are) getting enough time (off). There's no time to realise we have won the World Cup."

Dhoni praised his players for their performances and their ability to put to one side the huge expectations of his cricket-crazy nation.

"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," he said.

"Then, the youngsters coming in have contributed a lot, they have been willing to give more than 100 per cent."

He added: "It was the character of the individuals that helped us win this trophy."

Dhoni led from the front on Saturday as India, chasing 275 after Sri Lanka made 274 for six, won by six wickets to defeat their Asian rivals at the Wankhede Stadium.

Manic enthusiasm for cricket combined with India being the world's second most populous nation has long made it the sport's economic powerhouse.

But under Dhoni's captaincy and the coaching regime of Gary Kirsten, now set to return to his native South Africa, India's performances have started to match their financial muscle and influence in the corridors of cricket power.

All that was brilliantly summed up on the field by Dhoni.

Having taken the bold decision to promote himself above man-of-the tournament Yuvraj Singh, despite his own recent lack of runs, Dhoni finished the match by driving seamer Nuwan Kulasekara for six.

Dhoni is now the only captain to have lifted both the World Twenty20 and World Cup trophies.

India are also currently top of the International Cricket Council's rankings for five-day Test matches.

[mnaren555]

Dhoni :notworthy:

[MADDY]

yesterday's win isnt going to be the last victory for Dhoni - much more going to follow and i see the "greatest captain of all time" coming shortly..........so yesterday is certainly not the end of Dhoni - there is still much more to come.........at the end of it all we can compare DHoni and Kapil paaji......

its tough to compare generations, but i certainly feel the "mental" pressure due to media, expectations and hype is much more difficult to handle than lack of technology, infrastructure etc.......and who said, kapil's devils were a lesser side?? the number of all-rounders they had is more than number of all-rounders India has ever produced in their history :lol:

[SoftSword]

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

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

ennaya uttutteenga :evil:

[MADDY]

ennaya uttutteenga :evil:

ungalakku PM panni koopidalaam-nnu irundhen :lol2:

[Plum]

Maddy - Mohinder, Yashpal, Sandeep, Krish ellAm all rounder kaNakkA? :)
Ravi Shastri, the designated all rounder in that squad was a dud himself. EpdiyO jeychiruchu andha team. Lloyd and co asattaiyum oru kAraNam. One thing you can't take away from Kapil is that he won the cup with that squad. Sachin orutharE equal to that whole squad.

Anyway, Dhoni will preside over many more victories enbadhil sandhEgam illai. After this tournament retirenu sonnadhellAm chatterjee dhAnE? ;-)

[sathya_1979]

nobody is retiring. This team must and will carry on for next 2-3 years atleast.

[sathya_1979]

MAC, Motera, Mohali, Mumbai - MSD :D

[MADDY]

Maddy - Mohinder, Yashpal, Sandeep, Krish ellAm all rounder kaNakkA? :)
Ravi Shastri, the designated all rounder in that squad was a dud himself. EpdiyO jeychiruchu andha team. Lloyd and co asattaiyum oru kAraNam. One thing you can't take away from Kapil is that he won the cup with that squad. Sachin orutharE equal to that whole squad.

yes, 83' squad was less talented than current squad but they had no expectations and pressure to win unlike this team.......pressure can break the most talented sides too ex: SA .......


Anyway, Dhoni will preside over many more victories enbadhil sandhEgam illai. After this tournament retirenu sonnadhellAm chatterjee dhAnE? ;-)

im happy with anything that is good for Dhoni.......if relinquishing ODI and T20 captaincy means longevity - then surely yes.......but inime vida maattanga :lol:

[Plum]

MAC, Motera, Mohali, Mumbai - MSD :D

Next wish list: Melbourne, Manchester, Mahinda Rajapakse Stadium, Multan...

[vanchi]

nice of Mahi to mention all the past greats.
kumble said, dhoni was as cool as he always is when he met him during the celebrations where things were going helter.
Nothing seem to change his nature and persona.:thumbsup::notworthy:

[SoftSword]

my drunken post:
2003 indian team membersayum kooptu cup kooda ninnu ellarum photo edutthukitta nallaa irukkum....
ganguly and dravid deserve to be there to too....

[Plum]

Idhu dhAnA unga drunken posttu? Fail.

[SoftSword]

neenga pass ;)

[Plum]

nAn eppOvumE distinction :)

[SoftSword]

http://i51.tinypic.com/29ys77d.jpg

[ajithfederer]

+1. I don't see a reason for anybody (Sachin/dravid/vvs) to retire for the next 2-3 years at-least.

nobody is retiring. This team must and will carry on for next 2-3 years atleast.

[raghavendran]

yesterday's win isnt going to be the last victory for Dhoni - much more going to follow and i see the "greatest captain of all time" coming shortly..........so yesterday is certainly not the end of Dhoni - there is still much more to come.........at the end of it all we can compare DHoni and Kapil paaji......

its tough to compare generations, but i certainly feel the "mental" pressure due to media, expectations and hype is much more difficult to handle than lack of technology, infrastructure etc.......and who said, kapil's devils were a lesser side?? the number of all-rounders they had is more than number of all-rounders India has ever produced in their history :lol:yes..kapil's team won against the best ever team in the game's history..but for us this is the first time experience..so this will stand in front of every other cricket moment...felt very emotional like all of the Indians...i will proudly say this is the best moment of my life..
and with Dhoni--he has lot more to offer..best captain of India illa..best ever captain in cricketa avaru namma MSD :smoeksmirk:..still AUS series win irukku..adhayum jeikkanum
and i think these players deserve a long brk..after the turmoil they have gone through...odane arambikkudhu IPL :banghead:..just imagine,the players would once again have to buckle up and go through the agony again...indha WC winna atleast oru 1 month enjoy panna venama :evil:

[Plum]

Dhoni should skip IPL.

Sachin should skip, too. Apram IPL paduththurum so neither will happen

N Srinivasan is the key. Dhoni fans - do the needful. Chennaila dhAne irukkAr - :)

[sathya_1979]

Worse to come.
IPL getting over on May 28
WI tour from mid june to july, Eng tour from July to Sep, CL in Sep, Aus tour from Nov (IIRC)
auuuuuu. Rotation basis la aadi odamba paarthukkaNum. Dhoni, Sachin, Zak, Yuvi, Sehwag and Gambhir should take rest in turns. Lax and Dravid only for Tests. Raina, Kohli for ODI. lets see.

[kid-glove]

They earn more from IPL than WI & Eng Tour put together..

[sathya_1979]

yes, beneficial for fringe players and who are not regulars / don't get selected - Like Sourabh Tiwari. But, Dhoni, Sachin etc cannot avoid any of these. angadhAn work load problem varudhu. a well planned rotation and rest system should be in place.

[Plum]

Rotation basis la aadi odamba paarthukkaNum.
yes, yes. West Indies mAdhiri opponents kitta Dinesh Karthik, Murali Vijay, C Ganapathy ellAm select paNNanum. Cheeka, pls do the needful :)

[raghavendran]

even a 3rd string team would be enough for the WI tour..Ashwin,piyush,virat and some more youngsters thavira all players from the WC squad shud be rested

[sathya_1979]

thalaivar for tests please :D Oasi centuries yaar viduvA? (ippadi nenappudhAn pozhappa kedukkum )

[littlemaster1982]

http://i52.tinypic.com/2l8elhe.png

[ajaybaskar]

Before
http://img.xcitefun.net/users/2008/10/14995,xcitefun-dhoni.jpg

After
http://mahindrasinghdhoni.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/dhoni.jpg

[raghavendran]

SUPER
thnx Ajay :D

[ajaybaskar]

World Cup winner Dhoni now targets T20 crown

London, Apr 4: After winning the 2011 World Cup, Indian skipper MS Dhoni is planning to add another feather to his cap by targeting the Twenty20 crown, with the tournament being played in Sri Lanka next year.

The Indian team is No.1 in the Test rankings and is World Cup champion for the first time since 1983.

And with the Twenty20 World Cup back here in the subcontinent in Sri Lanka next year, Dhoni has set his sights on the trophy as present champions England will struggle to keep hold of their trophy, the Daily Express reports.

"We have achieved something great here," said Dhoni, after his 91 not out helped India to a six-wicket win.

"It is something we planned for one and a half years when we first targeted this World Cup. We had a long-term goal. But we are growing as a sporting nation and particularly cricket.

"The Twenty20 win in 2007 [in South Africa] was where this team started doing things differently, but we must close that chapter now," Dhoni said.

India's win ensures that 50-over cricket's immediate and medium-term future. India will defend the title in Australia in 2015. England will host the tournament four years on from that.

[raajarasigan]

Emotional Sachin says Dhoni the best captain he's played under

http://www.rediff.com/cricket/report/world-cup-2011-emotional-sachin-says-dhoni-the-best-captain-he-has--played-under/20110404.htm

Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar [ Images ] was at his emotional best while talking to the media on Monday.

After all, his most cherished dream had been fulfilled after 22 long years.

"Winning the World Cup was my biggest dream," he reiterated, adding, "I was only 10 when we won the World Cup in 1983.

"And my dream has got fulfilled now. It doesn't get better than winning it in Mumbai [ Images ].

"I became extremely emotional, which was rare. The tears in my eyes were happy ones."

Tendulkar also took the opportunity to express his gratitude towards his team.

"I was touched when the players said they won it for me," he admitted, adding, "It was because of a collective effort and responsibility that we won the Cup.

"We had actually to convince ourselves that we won the Cup."

Asked what worked for Team India [ Images ] in the tournament, Tendulkar was categorical.

"We peaked at the right time and that was important," he said.

The Master Blaster was also all praise for captain MS Dhoni [ Images ].

"Of all the captain I have played under, he's certainly the best," admitted Tendular :clap:, before proceeding to elaborate on his point.

"The maturity and alertness he showed was tremendous," explained Tendulkar, adding, "He reads the situation well and works accordingly.

"He understands the situation and doesn't show frustration. And that's good for any captain."

The soon-to-be (on April 24) 38-year-old, though, avoided questions pertaining to his retirement.

[satissh_r]

yes, yes. West Indies mAdhiri opponents kitta Dinesh Karthik select paNNanum. Cheeka, pls do the needful :)

Ethukku? anga poyum asinga pattu varava :lol2:

[ajaybaskar]

Dhoni the best captain I have played under - Tendulkar

http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc_cricket_worldcup2011/content/story/509507.html

[sathya_1979]

illayA pinna? MSD is instrumental in fulfilling thalaivar's dream in cricket. oNNu mattum pending - Aus series win in Aus. indha varusham adhayum fulfil seiyyarOm :yes:

[lawmani]

Mahendra Singh Dhoni

[lawmani]

Dhoni the best captain I have played under - Tendulkar

http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc_cricket_worldcup2011/content/story/509507.html

Hence proved.

[ajaybaskar]

Dhoni has proved he is human after all

Mumbai: India's captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni defied logic when he said that Piyush Chawla needed to play crucial World Cup fixtures ahead of the 'mentally strong' Ravichandran Ashwin.

That he would be satisfied if part-timers went for over six an over, as long as they did their job. That he didn't want to place a square leg fearing injuries. The mystery that is Mahendra Singh Dhoni continues to grow. On Saturday, those missing pieces in the jigsaw puzzle were brought together by his instinctive moves. MiD DAY draws out five points in an attempt to crack the 'MSD Code'.

"I don't know. I can't remember how I felt during the final of the CB Series or the Tri-Series at Dambulla," he said when Ravi Shastri asked him at the toss if the Indo-Pak semi-final was the biggest match of his life. Dhoni continued to insist the World Cup was just another event. When the euphoria exposed its finest colours on Saturday, he shed a few tears, proving that he's just human.

He went out to collect the trophy in a sleeveless shirt, just as he had done during the 2007 WT20. At that time, he drew criticism. But, did it again. Was it just to prove a point?

Afterwards, he didn't want to compare the two triumphs. Again, he showed signs of a man who lives in the moment.

At the post-World Cup briefing, he was physically and emotionally drained. For the last 12 months, he had been harping on the process that began in October 2008. The drained expression on his face yelled out just two words: Mission Accomplished.

There was cheekiness in the way he responded to a foreign journalist's claim that this was a rare moment of glory in India's otherwise poor sporting history.

He responded by reminding the reporter, not of the cricket team's achievements in the last 18 months, but of other sports such as shooting, hockey, archery and boxing. A deep sense of nationalistic spirit was highly evident. So, what are the odds of Dhoni not entering politics after his career, and change the game like he did with cricket?

The pair of Yuvraj Singh and Dhoni fashioned the 17 successful run-chases in 2005-06. Fittingly, the pair were in the middle on Saturday.

After Rahul Dravid relinquished captaincy, there were murmurs of Yuvraj and Dhoni not seeing eye-to-eye because the former was keen on leading the side. Last year, Dhoni made a bold call in dropping Yuvraj for the Asia Cup.

But, he knew all along that Yuvraj was a big match player and kept backing him all the way through the five-match ODI series in South Africa. To ensure Yuvraj hits top form at the World Cup, he threw the ball to the left-armer frequently in South Africa.

[ajaybaskar]

'Dhoni's knock one of the best in WC finals'

http://static.cricketnext.com/pix/sitepix/09_2010/dhoni3009_630.jpg

London: Mahendra Singh Dhoni's aggressive unbeaten 91 in the World Cup summit showdown against Sri Lanka matches the greatest innings played by a captain in a final of the showpiece event, according to former England captain Mike Atherton.

Atherton said Dhoni's 79-ball knock could be compared to the match-winning 102 by West Indian captain Clive Lloyd in the 1975 final against Australia.

"Dhoni's unbeaten 91, topped off with a towering six over long-on to win the match, was an astonishing innings. It was fashioned under pressure but with a freedom found mostly a peg or two down from the kind of stage upon which a World Cup final is played," Atherton said.

"The greatest innings ever played by a captain in a World Cup final was Clive Lloyd's monumental hundred against Australia at Lord's in the inaugural tournament in 1975 and if this was not its equal then it was not far behind," he wrote in his column for The Times newspaper.

"Lloyd was in Mumbai in his role as chairman of the ICC's Cricket Committee and as Dhoni past him on the stage to collect his man of the match award, the West Indian would have recognised a fellow traveller," he said.

Atherton was all praise for Dhoni's leadership qualities, especially when he was under intense scrutiny throughout the tournament.

"Nobody, except Sachin Tendulkar, has been under more scrutiny. Every decision, every move, every statement has been pored over by an army of writers and pundits. After the defeat against South Africa, Dhoni criticised his batsmen for playing to the gallery rather than for the team and it was as if he had tossed a meaty bone to the most voracious pack of jackals imaginable ... they gnawed on this juicy offering for days to come.

"When, in the same match, he gave Ashish Nehra the final over instead of Harbhajan Singh, an instinctive move that was perfectly reasonable but one that was backfired, it was a ploy that was commented upon and chewed over ... And why, everyone wanted to know, was Ashwin not playing at all?" wrote Atherton.

"Throughout, though, Dhoni has carried himself with the air of a man for whom such matters were trivial. Not once, until he let the mask slip on the podium, did he complain about the spotlight; not once did he lose his cool on the field."

The former England captain said there was no doubt that India had the talent to win the World Cup but the question was whether they would be able to soak the pressure and come out triumphant. He said with Dhoni at the helm the team went on to do its job calmly and with confidence.

"This was a triumph of leadership, pure and simple. The question throughout was not whether India had the talent to win the World Cup but whether they had the men to do it. Could they cope with the round-the-clock scrutiny, the suffocating, all encompassing demands of public for whom anything other than the ultimate victory would have been unacceptable. In short, did they have the bottle?

"They had it all right - whole jeroboams of it - and, on a magnificent and moving night in Mumbai which sealed the glorious career of one modern master whilst bringing down the curtain on another, nobody embodied this strength of mind and character more than their captain Dhoni. His calmness throughout has been a key factor in enabling this team to reach its potential," wrote Atherton.

Atherton felt Dhoni's move to promote himself up the order in the final was the perfect example of a captain taking upon himself the responsibility of leading from the front.

"From the very first ball, which he blocked, but with such crispness and determination in his footwork, it was clear that Dhoni was ready to seize the moment and shape his team's destiny.

"When he came into the Indian team he was a bit of a showpony, if truth be told, riding his man of the match bike around the outfield, and playing crazy shots almost for the sake of it. Few would have guessed that a mature leader was lurking within.

"Yet there he was on Saturday evening, as the fireworks lit the Mumbai skyline, millions hanging on his every word and waiting for the moment when he would become only the second Indian captain to grasp the World Cup in his hands."

[ajaybaskar]

A road for MS Dhoni in Bangalore

It seems that chief minister BS Yeddyurappa doesn’t want to lag behind his counterparts from other states in feting Team India.

After announcing a 50ft X 80ft site for all the members of Indian cricket team, Yeddyurappa on Sunday went a step ahead and declared that one of the roads in the city, in all likelihood the Banashankari Temple Road, would be named after Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

“Our boys have done the entire country proud by bringing back the world cup after 28 years. They deserve full praise for their historic feat. A grand felicitation function would be organised in Vidhana Soudha soon,” Yeddyurappa said. Mayor Nataraj has said that BBMP would take a decision within a week on naming a road after Dhoni.

[Plum]

One question though - is the line of thinking that Ashwin's non-inclusion justified by final result?

[Plum]

Indha lawamni En tamizh cinema police mAdhiri ellAm mudinjappuram correctA varAr eppovum?

[SoftSword]

One question though - is the line of thinking that Ashwin's non-inclusion justified by final result?

answer: <ungalukku vendiya answer>

(plum, endha answer neenga edhirpakkareengalo adha SS officiala sonnan'nu etthukittu, adha base pannu unga karutthukkala kottunga... office today bore ya...)

[ajaybaskar]

http://p.imgci.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/131000/131064.jpg

[vanchi]

Lessons in life Dhoni gave us

The Indian captain did many things right to help us lift that cup. Psychiatrist Dr Harish Shetty tells you what you can learn from him

While you're basking in the glory of India's world cup victory, you may as well take some tips from M S Dhoni on how to stay on top of your game. Psychiatrist Dr Harish Shetty decodes the mantras that have made our captain among the greatest of all times.

Let criticism inspire you
During the presentation ceremony of the 20-20 World Cup, Dhoni looked at Ravi Shashtri and, with a genuine smile, said, "I remember you called us underdogs and so we have won the cup for you". Here is a man who does not collapse under the weight of a comment from an important cricketer but works forward with gusto, logic and a renewed determination. When important people undermine or underestimate you, get in touch with your feelings of fear, dread, anger or sadness and convert these into greater resolve. As a kid, Sachin Tendulkar too would not rest till he had defeated his friends in a table tennis match after a loss at his old residence Sahitya Sahawas.

Move on
When India loses, Dhoni often publicly accepts the team's shortfalls but does not dwell on them for long. During one loss, he said, "This match is over, let's plan for the next". Unlike captains of yesteryears, who would brood, ruminate and introspect too much, our reigning captain has mastered the art of leaving things behind. Fear and disappointment are not allowed to percolate his mind. Just focus on newer frontiers with a fresh pair of eyes and a refreshed mood. Do not be the victim of excessive critical appraisal from yourself or others. It may paralyse you.

Us, not I
On the day of victory, the World Cup was in every player's hands, except Dhoni's. A couple of years ago, Dhoni asked Anil Kumble to take the cup after a victory in a test series. His genuine affection for his team is visible and the bonding is strong. He has praise for all but neither did he mince words when Gambhir failed to make his 100 due to a bad shot. He is genuine, even blunt. He has publicly made statements such as, "Our middle order should perform" or "Sreeshanth should behave".

Stay cool
Dhoni is cool during tense moments. No sledging, or rash words. It would be interesting to learn more about his self-talk. It probably involves thoughts such as 'Calm down', 'Focus now' or "Let me try something new'. The feeling of dread and fear is allowed to pass. He probably observes these emotions come and go on his mind screen. This thought process is visible on his face that remains childlike many a time during a crisis. So, when the chips are down, just observe your feelings as they come. If you find yourself fretting or yelling, you have been hijacked emotionally and will lose friends and battles. If not, creative responses will emerge.

Keep at it
MSD teased Ravi Shashtri by saying, "If we had lost, many questions — why Sreeshanth, why did I bat before Yuvraj — would have been asked". His getting into the middle of a battle shows he loves challenges and does not bother with incessant advice from exgreats. Like Anil Kumble, who shared at his retirement that he ignored all criticism during his lean period and persisted, our captain also practices 'dogged perseveration with risk-taking'. The Dhoni mantra is clear — persevere while down, take risks and obey your instincts.

Gratitude
Lastly but importantly, Dhoni feels and expresses his gratitude openly. After the win, he said, "I chose to come before and Gary backed me". Thanking 'Gary and Paddy', and others significant to his performance as well as that of the team, comes naturally to him. Gratitude is a part of his personality.

[sathya_1979]

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/iaf-announces-they-will-fly-dhoni-in-a-su30-mki/148257-3.html IAF to fly MS Dhoni in a Su-30 MKI


New Delhi: The chief of Indian Air Force PV Naik on Tuesday stated that he will seek special permission from the government so that India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar can experience a flight of Su-30MKI- the best fighter plane of IAF.



"Sachin Tendulkar is already our Honorary Group Captain. Once both Sachin and Dhoni are free from their cricketing engagements, I will ensure that they get to fly Su-30MKI. They have done our country proud and it will be an honour for us," Naik told on Tuesday.


ACM Naik informed that as of now there are no plans of awarding any honorary post to the Indian captain like Tendulkar.


Dhoni who was accompanied by his wife Sakshi was there at the Air Force chief's residence for over an hour as he interacted with senior officers.



The meeting with ACM Naik was organised by former Indian team manager Wing Commander M Baladitya.



ACM Naik presented Dhoni with a plaque on behalf of the Indian Air Force.



The skipper and his wife were at ease as they interacted and answered various cricketing queries.



When the wives of the senior officers congratulated the couple, Sakshi said,"You all supported the team. Congratulate yourselves."



Someone asked about his bald look, the skipper smiled and said,"I thought World Cup is over so let's just get it off."



Dhoni was seen asking ACM Naik, a veteran fighter pilot about his flying experience. "I used to fly MiG-21, MiG-23 during my days."



He patiently answered all the cricketing queries although it was evident that he would now like a few days away from cricket.


"IPL will be very hectic," he admitted

[ajaybaskar]

Dhoni is a leader by example, says Kirsten

Heaping praises on India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the outgoing national team coach Gary Kirsten today said that the skipper not only leads by example and puts in maximum effort on the field but also feels it the most when the team loses.

"Dhoni is a leader by example. I have never seen a player give as much effort to every game. He leads by example. He is the 100 per cent man. I've never seen him lose his temper. He loves taking responsibility and when the team loses, no one feels it more than him," said Kirsten.

"He is a great leader. He is the captain for next few years, no doubt," he added. Kirsten, who took up the coaching job with the Indian cricket with no prior experience, said he looked at creating an environment where the team was happy and for that he relied heavily on batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar.

"There is man-management which is the most important. You have to give options to the cricketer to cross the ropes and perform his best. It's about understanding individuals, working with what they have got and how they can improve without changing their technique," said Kirsten.

"I wanted to create an environment where the team was happy and felt like team. Sachin for me was the leader in this way," he added. The South African also said it would be great if Tendulkar could continue to play till 2015 World Cup but admitted that he was getting old and must now become selective in his approach.

"In 2015, he would be 42...I think that would be great. He doesn't want to retire because he is enjoying the game. I am proud of him. But he is getting old and he would have to pick and choose his games," said Kirsten.

[ajaybaskar]

Dhoni the greatest Indian captain - Ganguly

Sourav Ganguly, who led India to the final of the 2003 World Cup, has called MS Dhoni as greatest Indian captain. Dhoni led India to victory in the 2011 World Cup, with a crucial unbeaten 91 in the final against Sri Lanka and Ganguly said Dhoni's leadership record in each of the game's three formats spoke for itself.

"There can't be any doubt about it," Ganguly told Mid-Day. "Dhoni is the greatest captain of our country. His record is proof of that. Under Dhoni, India have won the Twenty20 World Cup and the Asia Cup. Under him, India have become the No. 1 ranked side in Test cricket. And now, we have won the World Cup. Obviously, he is the greatest ever captain to lead India."

Ganguly's pronouncement came a day after Sachin Tendulkar rated Dhoni as the best captain he had played under. Dhoni made his international debut under Ganguly, before becoming a key player under Rahul Dravid's captaincy. Eventually, Dhoni took over the reins of the side and Ganguly even played under him in the closing stages of his international career.

Ganguly said he was sure India would win the tournament once they got past their 2003 nemesis, Australia. "When they beat Australia in the quarter-finals, I knew India would win the World Cup," Ganguly said. "A lot of people thought Sri Lanka would win, but I was confident."

[SoftSword]

nee gentleman... :notworthy:
will miss u in ipl :(

[directhit]

Dhoni the greatest Indian captain - Ganguly :thumbsup: :bow:

[MADDY]

'Dhoni's knock one of the best in WC finals'

http://static.cricketnext.com/pix/sitepix/09_2010/dhoni3009_630.jpg

London: Mahendra Singh Dhoni's aggressive unbeaten 91 in the World Cup summit showdown against Sri Lanka matches the greatest innings played by a captain in a final of the showpiece event, according to former England captain Mike Atherton.

Atherton said Dhoni's 79-ball knock could be compared to the match-winning 102 by West Indian captain Clive Lloyd in the 1975 final against Australia.

"Dhoni's unbeaten 91, topped off with a towering six over long-on to win the match, was an astonishing innings. It was fashioned under pressure but with a freedom found mostly a peg or two down from the kind of stage upon which a World Cup final is played," Atherton said.

"The greatest innings ever played by a captain in a World Cup final was Clive Lloyd's monumental hundred against Australia at Lord's in the inaugural tournament in 1975 and if this was not its equal then it was not far behind," he wrote in his column for The Times newspaper.

"Lloyd was in Mumbai in his role as chairman of the ICC's Cricket Committee and as Dhoni past him on the stage to collect his man of the match award, the West Indian would have recognised a fellow traveller," he said.

Atherton was all praise for Dhoni's leadership qualities, especially when he was under intense scrutiny throughout the tournament.

"Nobody, except Sachin Tendulkar, has been under more scrutiny. Every decision, every move, every statement has been pored over by an army of writers and pundits. After the defeat against South Africa, Dhoni criticised his batsmen for playing to the gallery rather than for the team and it was as if he had tossed a meaty bone to the most voracious pack of jackals imaginable ... they gnawed on this juicy offering for days to come.

"When, in the same match, he gave Ashish Nehra the final over instead of Harbhajan Singh, an instinctive move that was perfectly reasonable but one that was backfired, it was a ploy that was commented upon and chewed over ... And why, everyone wanted to know, was Ashwin not playing at all?" wrote Atherton.

"Throughout, though, Dhoni has carried himself with the air of a man for whom such matters were trivial. Not once, until he let the mask slip on the podium, did he complain about the spotlight; not once did he lose his cool on the field."

The former England captain said there was no doubt that India had the talent to win the World Cup but the question was whether they would be able to soak the pressure and come out triumphant. He said with Dhoni at the helm the team went on to do its job calmly and with confidence.

"This was a triumph of leadership, pure and simple. The question throughout was not whether India had the talent to win the World Cup but whether they had the men to do it. Could they cope with the round-the-clock scrutiny, the suffocating, all encompassing demands of public for whom anything other than the ultimate victory would have been unacceptable. In short, did they have the bottle?

"They had it all right - whole jeroboams of it - and, on a magnificent and moving night in Mumbai which sealed the glorious career of one modern master whilst bringing down the curtain on another, nobody embodied this strength of mind and character more than their captain Dhoni. His calmness throughout has been a key factor in enabling this team to reach its potential," wrote Atherton.

Atherton felt Dhoni's move to promote himself up the order in the final was the perfect example of a captain taking upon himself the responsibility of leading from the front.

"From the very first ball, which he blocked, but with such crispness and determination in his footwork, it was clear that Dhoni was ready to seize the moment and shape his team's destiny.

"When he came into the Indian team he was a bit of a showpony, if truth be told, riding his man of the match bike around the outfield, and playing crazy shots almost for the sake of it. Few would have guessed that a mature leader was lurking within.

"Yet there he was on Saturday evening, as the fireworks lit the Mumbai skyline, millions hanging on his every word and waiting for the moment when he would become only the second Indian captain to grasp the World Cup in his hands."

Enna stylish writing by Atherton just like his batting :bow:

[Plum]

Australia at Lord's in the inaugural tournament in 1975 and if this was not its equal then it was not far behind
Maddy, you are yet another victim of typical British left-handed compliments.

He is putting it even behind Clive Lloyd's knock, which most people will consider behind Richards's, de Silva's and perhaps even Ponting's and Gilly's knocks.

When the British write, especially the English, watch out for needles in banana

[SoftSword]

in that case, i need someone to tranlate this into english for me:

The greatest innings ever played by a captain in a World Cup final was Clive Lloyd's monumental hundred against Australia at Lord's in the inaugural tournament in 1975 and if this was not its equal then it was not far behind.

[Plum]

Oh Captainnu irukkA? Even then he is saying the second or third best captain's knock. Overall commit paNNikkalai.
Roughly translated, he is saying at its best,Dhoni's innings was the second best captain's knock. Though he didnt say it, I reckon he'll definitely put Gilly's and Richards' innings before this. Roughly, he is saying 4th at best, could be 6th or 7th overall, if I know my Atherton,

[SoftSword]

Oh Captainnu irukkA? Even then he is saying the second or third best captain's knock. Overall commit paNNikkalai.
Roughly translated, he is saying at its best,Dhoni's innings was the second best captain's knock. Though he didnt say it, I reckon he'll definitely put Gilly's and Richards' innings before this. Roughly, he is saying 4th at best, could be 6th or 7th overall, if I know my Atherton,


dheivamae :notworthy:

[directhit]

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. http://i51.tinypic.com/2zg8594.jpg

[vanchi]

:thumbsup: :bow::-D:clap:

dada was also talking abt taking three pacers in the final and he was qute supportive of Dhonis approach always.

[ajaybaskar]

Dhoni overshadows Tendulkar as new icon among kids

BANGALORE: Is Dhoni slowly emerging as the GenY favourite? Sachin Tendulkar might unarguably be the greatest cricketer ever, but Dhoni is increasingly becoming popular among youngsters. Or so says a survey, which found a bigger fan following for Dhoni than Tendulkar, among children aged between 10 and 14.

According to the December 2010 survey, conducted among 1,080 students aged 10-14 (Classes 5 to 8) by Activity Research - Edumedia India, Mahendra Singh Dhoni figured number one among the top five icons considered by the children. He was followed by Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Vishwanathan Anand and Sania Mirza.

"For a middle-aged person or a youth who has seen Tendulkar play for 21 years, he's God. But for a 10-year-old, Dhoni is more visible. They see glamour and flamboyance, and Dhoni is the `cool guy'. Moreover, he's the captain. Just like children look up to their school captain, they would look up to him," said Syed Sultan Ahmed, MD, Edumedia India.

The students, in the survey, were asked why they made the choice. The majority of replies said he's the most successful captain and the best player. "After all, he won the T-20, led the Chennai Super Kings and made India number one in Test cricket," Ahmed said.

Interestingly, a majority of the survey respondents look up to sports stars and movie stars as their role models. Fifty per cent of Class 5 students and 48% of Class 4 students consider sports stars as their icons. The figures come down as one move up the classes. The shift is towards movie stars. The stars were chosen despite having family members and politicians on the list.

The survey was conducted across 12 cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Jaipur, Mysore, Madurai, Patna and Cuttack, to recognize current trends among children.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Dhoni-overshadows-Tendulkar-as-new-icon-among-kids/articleshow/7879437.cms

[lawmani]

Rajni and Dhoni #sameguy ?

Rajni was bus ticket kaaran, Dhoni train ticket kaaran. Both came to tamizhnadu to from naarthindies to become popular. Both are stylish. the way Rajni punches (looks down while punching) = the way dhoni hits 6s (against NZ), the way rajni suttifies the silambam in arunachalam = dhoni's follow thru after hitting the winning 6....

And to top it all, his hair style on sunday = the scene from Sivaji, baaas, motta baaas!!!!

[ajaybaskar]

Dhoni wants Bharat Ratna for Sachin

Chennai: Team India captain MS Dhoni said that cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar deserves the honour of being conferred the Bharat Ratna award for his services to the nation for over two decades. “Sachin deserves the Bharat Ratna. He has served the country for 21 years and would do so for a few more,” Dhoni said.

The World Cup winning skipper told a press conference on Wednesday that Tendulkar deserved the award more than any other sportsperson in the country today and if did not get it, no cricketer would ever deserve to get it.

Earlier, Maharashtra Assembly adopted a resolution on Tuesday, seeking India`s highest civilian award for Sachin Tendulkar. The state assembly unanimously recommended to the Central Government that Sachin be presented the Bharat Ratna.

"The Maharashtra Assembly has unanimously decided that Sachin must be awarded the Bharat Ratna for his accomplishments," said Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan.

http://cricket.zeenews.com/WorldCup2011/story.aspx?nid=37465

[Plum]

Rajni and Dhoni #sameguy ?

Rajni was bus ticket kaaran, Dhoni train ticket kaaran. Both came to tamizhnadu to from naarthindies to become popular. Both are stylish. the way Rajni punches (looks down while punching) = the way dhoni hits 6s (against NZ), the way rajni suttifies the silambam in arunachalam = dhoni's follow thru after hitting the winning 6....

And to top it all, his hair style on sunday = the scene from Sivaji, baaas, motta baaas!!!!


sattabell deivamE :bow:

[directhit]

:think: .............

[SoftSword]

Rajni and Dhoni #sameguy ?

Rajni was bus ticket kaaran, Dhoni train ticket kaaran. Both came to tamizhnadu to from naarthindies to become popular. Both are stylish. the way Rajni punches (looks down while punching) = the way dhoni hits 6s (against NZ), the way rajni suttifies the silambam in arunachalam = dhoni's follow thru after hitting the winning 6....

And to top it all, his hair style on sunday = the scene from Sivaji, baaas, motta baaas!!!!


remember there is one video with vimal for chennai super stars ICL team...
the final six of the world cup made me imagine that, thalaivar who was sitting next to aamir jumps into the pitch and gets into dhoni ala rajkiran gets into lawrence, and do what vimal does :)

[P_R]

May I come inside?

Actually reg. Dhoni, கொஞ்சம் முரட்டுத்தனமா இருந்துட்டேன். Largely because I haven't followed cricket much since WC 2007 -or perhaps even earlier. If Sachin bats I used to watch and nothing more. And slowly the mainstays of the One Day team were also folks I hardly knew making disinterest only easier.

Also because he won the T20 WC, a format whose popularity I wholeheartedly resent. It was the first time I did not feel 'thrilled' by an Indian victory. Kinda slotted him as sort of representative the 'new face' of cricket - a mishmash of all that bored, disfascinated, disappointed me about where cricket was headed.

I am not my interest levels will change now because of WC win but for whatever its worth, தோனியாருக்கு ஒரு :clap:
Victory attracts fans, கும்பலோட கோவிந்தா எப்பிடி எடுத்துக்கிட்டாலும் சரி.

I happened to read this three year old intree (http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/343750.html) today. Very impressive :-)


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.


I can hear MADDY saying: இதத்தானேய்யா மூணு வருசமா சொல்லிக்கிட்டு இருக்கேன். :lol:

[MADDY]

eppadiyo vandheengale, adhuve podhum :clap:

Plum reg Atherton article, it was really his writing style i talked abt, not much abt content :D

[SoftSword]

interviewer : dhoni, t20 Wc, IPL, CL, OD WC, you have got everything what is your next goal?
dhoni : well, i dont mind repeating it all again :)

:thumbsup:

complete interview: http://cricketnext.in.com/videos/56305/csk-lineup-is-very-flexible-says-dhoni.html

[directhit]

PR :clap: :clap: andha article indha thread laye irukku... :evil: oru Moderator enna post panromnaavadhu padichu vakka koodadhaa lol

[directhit]

SS, there was a lol tweet related to that - the only thing left for Dhoni is now to win a Ranji trophy :lol2:

[SoftSword]

Champions trophy - mini world cup irukkulla... indha varusam dhane?

[MADDY]

Champions trophy - mini world cup irukkulla... indha varusam dhane?

isnt it scrapped?? :roll:

[directhit]

yeah plans were on to have the world test championship or something like that...

[SoftSword]

PR andha article indha thread laye irukku... oru Moderator enna post panromnaavadhu padichu vakka koodadhaa lol


ovvoru mod'um sila tags vechirukkanga.. adha mattum search panni, adhu sammandhapatta post mattum dhaan padikkiraanga...
ex:

PR: sachin, swann, straight drive, etc.,
LM: sachin, tendulkar, :rotfl:, :yessir:, etc.,
TM: MK, romance, hip, surya, pm, :slurp:, etc.,
NOV: breakfast, surya, mahen, mokkai padam, etc.,

(kolai panraanga.... :ashamed:)

[P_R]

enna post panromnaavadhu padichu vakka koodadhaa lol paritchai vaikka pOra maadhiri solreenga.
Tabilyee Tabilyee Yaffukku kooda thaan oru dhreat irukku....

[directhit]

ovvoru mod'um sila tags vechirukkanga.. adha mattum search panni, adhu sammandhapatta post mattum dhaan padikkiraanga...
ex:

PR: sachin, swann, straight drive, etc.,
LM: sachin, tendulkar, :rotfl:, , etc.,
TM: MK, romance, hip, surya, pm, :slurp:, etc.,
NOV: breakfast, surya, mahen, mokkai padam, etc.,
http://www.tengallongames.com/files/smileys-2.jpg

[directhit]

paritchai vaikka pOra maadhiri solreenga.
Tabilyee Tabilyee Yaffukku kooda thaan oru dhreat irukku.... :lol: adhai udanpiravaa sagodharargal rendu peru iravu pagalaa kan muzhichu update pannitirundhainga, ungala madhiri aalunga kannu pattu ippo seendi paaka kooda aal illai!

sari appadiye CSK kkum support pannidunga marakkaama IPL la :yessir:

[vanchi]

Bold and bald

A captain needs emotional intelligence and fierce personal pride to guide a team as varied as India. Mahendra Singh Dhoni has both qualities in ample measure, writes K.C. Vijaya Kumar.

The arms swivelled, the bat painted an arc that rippled with power and the ball sailed high for six. A signature Mahendra Singh Dhoni moment ushered in India's historic World Cup triumph at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium on April 2, a day that will resonate with June 25, 1983 and will forever be a special milestone when nostalgia grips an entire nation in the years to come.

The big-hit may fit in with the Dhoni persona but he has proved that he is much more than the beefy strikes and the long mane that became his identity when he first burst into the international arena. (The captain went for a new bald look immediately after the World Cup triumph.) Over the years, Dhoni has remained a malleable personality, coping with challenges, willing to change but firmly rooted to that fierce desire of winning. He has farmed the strike, strung partnerships, gambled on his instincts and backed himself and the team to the hilt.

As a captain he has stayed calm while everyone around tended to lose their heads and his biggest asset is the sheer lack of insecurity. He respects the seniors but keeps his counsel. When it comes to seniority, names like Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid might spring to mind but it is a fact that even Virender Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh have more international experience than Dhoni, but be it legendary men or his peer group, the Indian skipper has carved his own space.

The assurance was again evident after India defeated Sri Lanka and champagne moments were uncorked, tears were shed and warmth lingered. Tendulkar was chaired by his teammates and in the background Dhoni walked with a smile, letting the maestro hog the limelight. Tendulkar's 482 runs in the premier tournament proved an invaluable ally for the ‘Men in Blue' while they marched ahead.

In 2008, when Sourav Ganguly and Anil Kumble walked away towards their cricketing twilight, Dhoni did two gestures that spoke volumes about the man. He let an overwhelmed Ganguly lead the side briefly against the Australians and also chaired Kumble on his massive shoulders. Making the seniors feel cherished has helped him reap the dividends as the elder statesmen have clicked in unison be it in Tests or in the limited overs format under his captaincy.

Dhoni surely has a sense of perspective and the ability to trigger off a laugh has also helped him cope with the hottest seat in the Indian landscape, just below the Prime Minister's chair. In the lead-up to the World Cup, the Indian team was stationed in Bangalore for a short preparatory camp marked by rigorous practice and the odd press conferences. In one such media-interface, Sehwag and Yuvraj were addressing the press when Dhoni walked in discreetly and sat with the scribes. He then joined the television crews and tweaked the cameras amidst laughter. Later Sehwag was asked about whether he was nervous after sighting the Indian skipper among the scribes. “Not really, I am his senior,” Sehwag replied.

Dhoni's ability to be respectful and friendly with the seniors and juniors alike, has given him enough breathing space in the Indian dressing room. A few years ago, he was playing catching game after India won against England at Bangalore. As the night wore on, Dhoni chased players like Ishant Sharma and Rohit Sharma and tried to spray soft drinks on them. He was one among the boys despite being their leader but equally he has proved that while making decisions, he can be tough and keep emotions at bay. Ask R. Ashwin, who was Dhoni's trusted bowler in a crisis while playing for Chennai Super Kings but in the World Cup, the off-spinner gained limited exposure that was restricted to just two games.

Dhoni has proved that he has the heart to admit his mistakes. He said that he read the pitch at Mohali wrong. He opted to play S. Sreesanth ahead of Ashwin in the summit clash and even that shows Dhoni's ability to split a professional choice from a personal prejudice. In many matches between overs when the television audience is seeing an advertisement, Dhoni has had a stern word with Sreesanth. The speedster's antics has time and again earned Dhoni's ire but the captain truly believed that Sreesanth can add teeth to the Indian attack in the final and pencilled in his name. It is another matter that Sreesanth's performance remained lukewarm.

A captain needs emotional intelligence and fierce personal pride to guide a team as varied as India. Dhoni has both qualities in ample measure. When things were on the boil against Sri Lanka, Dhoni did the unthinkable and walked in ahead of Yuvraj at number five. Coming in with just 150 runs in the previous games of the World Cup, he displayed no sign of nerves or poor form. He hustled the singles and when the occasion demanded, unearthed that silent big-hitter residing within him. His unbeaten 91 truly became a captain's knock.

Dhoni needed that to silence the whispers about his poor run with the bat. He also needed to leave his imprint like Kapil Dev did in 1983 with that sprinting catch to send back Vivian Richards. Kapil from Haryana and Dhoni from Jharkhand have been the men who have gifted euphoria to a hungry nation craving for sporting success. Perhaps their respective upbringing in two states that have never been cricketing powerhouses in India has bred in the needed steel to cope with the high pressures of international cricket.

Dhoni often uses the word “street-smart” to define players like Praveen Kumar and Suresh Raina. Perhaps “street-smart” defines Dhoni too and he along with coach Gary Kirsten have shaped a great pathway to take Indian cricket to greater glory. “I am not the one to make big statements in press conferences,” Dhoni had said during an informal chat with journalists during India's tour of Bangladesh in early 2010.

He makes his statements on the field and there can be nothing bigger than a World Cup triumph. Add to it India's World Twenty20 victory in 2007 or leading Chennai Super Kings to an Indian Premier League and Champions League T20 title and the Dhoni-effect acquires a steady halo that will gain greater weight with anecdotes and bigger deeds in future years.
http://www.sportstaronnet.com/stories/20110414503101000.htm

:smokesmirk:

[lawmani]

interviewer : dhoni, t20 Wc, IPL, CL, OD WC, you have got everything what is your next goal?
dhoni : well, i dont mind repeating it all again :)

:thumbsup:

complete interview: http://cricketnext.in.com/videos/56305/csk-lineup-is-very-flexible-says-dhoni.html

Thalaaaa! reminds me of Avvai Shanmugi - theliya vechu theliya vechu adikaraaan

[lawmani]

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

Annanukku oru Su-30 MKI parcel!

[ajaybaskar]

Dhoni picks players like directors choose stars: Ramiz Raja

India produced a calm, matured performance to lift the World Cup. You have to admire the self-belief and class of Dhoni and his men, for not once did the team flinch in the eye of the storm. It was service as usual, whether Mahela was playing a classic or Sehwag and Tendulkar had been condemned to the confines of the dressing room.

India remained unfazed and ran past all hurdles with Dhoni the magnificent, clearing the flag post with a perfect straight drive to win the race for India. And for Tendulkar.

In sports you can prepare a life time and still not make the podium. Even with an astonishing body of work behind him, Tendulkar was pricked by the thought of a win less World Cup career, a heart ache that he had shared with his team and country.

Dhoni's men took upon them selves to grant him his wish, especially as he had never asked anything of them, and stuck together for mission Tendulkar. Winning the Cup was the best gift they could have thanked him with for his unfathomable contribution to Indian cricket.

A One day career even as rich and magnificent as Tendulkar's needed the topping of a World Cup win because all your one day performances mean less if you have not held the trophy in your hands. With his career now reaching climactic portions, he will look upon this win possibly as the biggest of his career as it officially stamps him a champion.

We know that Tendulkar's appetite for the game is insatiable but with the World Cup in the bag and nothing much to look forward to, he can now move on from this format to the more sedate but challenging medium of Test cricket, a platform that still needs his genius.

Speaking of genius, India could not have won the Cup without the irrepressible Dhoni. You can rave about other performers in the team but they are dwarfed by Dhoni's impact on the tournament.

Who could have known when he was picked to lead India few seasons back that hidden behind the exterior of a placid rustic face was not a simpleton from Ranchi but a shrewd sinewy competitor. Any other person belonging from such an unfashionable part of India, thrown at the deep end to lead the greats of the game, would have suffered from a seizure of low esteem.

But Dhoni is built like a fortress, impenetrable and grand. Sanjay Manjrekar told me that when he popped a question to a great Indian batsman about Dhoni's leadership and what makes him click as a leader of legends, he replied his ability to know his boundaries.

He may have never crossed his limits with Sachin or Sehwag, but that did not make him a soft captain. In fact, he was not shy to throw a challenge at his men after the South Africa choke, when in a shielded attack, he denounced the penchant of few to play more for the gallery than the cause of the team.

Captaincy beside other things is about straight talking and timing a warning to the players to wake them up to the contest. India never looked back in the tournament after that siren was played by it's captain.

Hardly ever is he paled by a defeat. He remains relaxed in searing moments of the game which helps him to think better on the job and pick right options to wriggle out of tough scenarios. How he maintains balance and brilliance between keeping and captaincy, both pressure filled punishing and thankless tasks, is worth a case study.

His famous Hindi comments at a press conference in fact sums up his calm interior: pressure lenay ka nahin denay ka hai!

He picks players like film directors do, only who will suit the script and will rally behind them to make it a successful story. In this World Cup, he made strong selection decisions that did not sit well with common logic yet he stuck to his guns and made people respect his logic.

Piyush Chawla made a come back on sound cricket grounds that a leg-spinner is not only a wicket taking option but a match winning option at home against non-Asian teams.

He introduced Ashwin, an unknown quality, to new ball bowling and had the guts to re-launch Nehra in a big semi final game against Pakistan in place of popular choice Ashwin, after entire India had turned hostile against him and his medium pace bowler for the last over disaster against South Africa.

The benching of in-demand Yousaf Pathan for Suresh Raina was another jigsaw that he solved effortlessly. Such gestures showed his uncluttered approach towards cricket, based on his own analysis and gut feeling, not influenced by popular perceptions.

A captain who thinks without a bias and knows the true value and potential of his troops is a player's dream. This trust and mind set contributes to a healthy dressing room environment which inspired India to take the leaders position at the podium.

A World Cup victory can not be weighed in any concrete measurement. How can you have a scale for pride, passion, delight or honour. India got the lot and more from Dhoni's team.

It's now it's duty to use responsibly the status of the World Champion tag and show, with grace and dignity, the leadership qualities in governing the game. It has to deal intelligently with thorny issues like the DRS, playing Pakistan, players' fatigue, managing the three formats to ensure their attractiveness and efficacy, globalisation of the sport and helping the minnows.

Even though it may have been hard on the Associate members but the decision of a 10 team World Cup is justified. Fans want quality and competition at such a high profile event and we saw quite a few mis-match ties in this WC which lowered its image.

Having said that the minnows need constant grooming and attention as disengagement will defeat the purpose of globalisation. They need nurturing and caring and should be exposed to big events only after they have registered an improvement. Getting bashed at world events would not only dent them mentally but it would be bad advertisement for the game of cricket.

Pakistan at this WC may have returned home empty handed but it won the hearts of it's people. The players were greeted like heroes because Pakistan became one and united under them.

The World also got to see the strength of Indo-Pak contest. All those people in positions who were cold and indifferent towards it were seeing queuing up to use the occasion to cash in.

The governments, the media and the ICC had been given enough evidence in the past also, of the enormous strength of Indo-Pak tussle, to know that uncoupling the two could mean a turbulent world and a colourless cricket calendar.

Yet, all of them allowed the most engaging cricket rivalries to get stuck by petty politics. To me that game at Mohali was the heart of the World Cup more than the final at Mumbai.

[Plum]

Piyush Chawla made a come back on sound cricket grounds that a leg-spinner is not only a wicket taking option but a match winning option at home against non-Asian teams.


This was not exactly the right decision. jeyichuttOmngaradhukkAga ellAthaiyum genius move-nu solRadhA?

[Plum]

The benching of in-demand Yousaf Pathan
Whoever was demanding for Pathan instead of Raina should own up their shame now :-)

[SoftSword]

Plum, one ismaal clarification... the article was IRRHO.

[Riyazz]

ovvoru mod'um sila tags vechirukkanga.. adha mattum search panni, adhu sammandhapatta post mattum dhaan padikkiraanga...
ex:

PR: sachin, swann, straight drive, etc.,
LM: sachin, tendulkar, :rotfl:, :yessir:, etc.,
TM: MK, romance, hip, surya, pm, :slurp:, etc.,
NOV: breakfast, surya, mahen, mokkai padam, etc.,

(kolai panraanga.... :ashamed:)

kalakuringa.......

[Plum]

Plum, one ismaal clarification... the article was IRRHO.

nAnum TN araisyalvAdhi mAdhiri "Rameez Rajavai ondrE ondRu kEttu kOLgiREn" spiritla dhAn andha questions kEttEn

[Plum]

TM: MK, romance, hip, surya, pm, :slurp:, etc.,
:lol: indha chinna vayasula enna oru kidney Softie ungaLukku

[lawmani]

sattabell deivamE :bow:

Another one: Rajni and Dhoni #sameguy

Run out of YKP by Dhoni similar to villianoda adiyaaL sneaking from behind, but Rajni thirumbi paakkaaama shooting :)

[SoftSword]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7evXY5h2Dbg&feature=player_embedded

[Kalyasi]

Dhonisms...

1. Dhoni could defend this in 50 overs, nevermind 20 (after CSK made 153 in 20 overs against KKR)
2. This captaincy thing is way too easy for MS. Time to look into other issues such as poverty, hunger and world peace.
3. I forgot my FB password. I typed Dhoni and it worked.

[somu_87]

Dhonisms...

1. Dhoni could defend this in 50 overs, nevermind 20 (after CSK made 153 in 20 overs against KKR)
2. This captaincy thing is way too easy for MS. Time to look into other issues such as poverty, hunger and world peace.

3. I forgot my FB password. I typed Dhoni and it worked.

:smokesmirk::-D

[ajaybaskar]

Dhoni is one of the 5 indian cricketers to be featured in Wisden Test XI. :notworthy:

[directhit]

http://desmond.yfrog.com/Himg620/scaled.php?tn=0&server=620&filename=9nxta.jpg&xsize=640&ysize=640

[SoftSword]

Dhoni is one of the 5 indian cricketers to be featured in Wisden Test XI. :notworthy:

u mean there are 5 indians featuring in this years test 11?
if so thats a great feat of dominance.

[directhit]

http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/510271.html

Dhoni's among the great modern captains

India's emphatic victory in the World Cup has proved beyond doubt they are currently the best all-round cricket team. In the process, Mahendra Singh Dhoni's polished performance as skipper, where he pushed, prodded and cajoled his side into peaking at the right time, has shown he's not only the best leader in the game but also one of the finest of the last 30 years. His performance ranks him with the other top-class leaders of the period: Imran Khan, Mark Taylor and Arjuna Ranatunga.

Unlike their predecessors as the No. 1-ranked team, West Indies and Australia, India do not have a dominant bowling attack. Considering bowlers win matches, this makes Dhoni's captaincy performance even more meritorious. In that regard he's emulated Ranatunga in conjuring up a World Cup victory with a moderate attack. As there's no indication India are on the verge of unearthing a couple of world-class bowlers, and three of their best Test batsmen are closer to retirement than to the pinnacle of their careers, Dhoni has a serious challenge on his hands to keep India at the top of the rankings in the longer game. However, he can take comfort from the fact that none of the stronger teams look likely to surge past India in the race to be No. 1.

[sathya_1979]

http://cricketnext.in.com/news/ms-dhoni-leads-indias-five-among-time-100/56772-13.html
MS Dhoni leads India's five among Time 100

Dhoni rated above Messi and Obama !

[ajithfederer]

I don't know whether this has been posted before here.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCg8E2dzoHw&feature=feedrec_grec_index

Dhoni 148(123) 1st ODI Century v Pakistan at Vizag 2005

[directhit]

http://cricketnext.in.com/news/ms-dhoni-leads-indias-five-among-time-100/56772-13.html
MS Dhoni leads India's five among Time 100

Dhoni rated above Messi and Obama ! the 100 is in no particular order. So no question of Rating

[ajaybaskar]

Dhoni played innings of his life in WC final: Yuvi

Flamboyant all-rounder Yuvraj Singh, who was named World Cup's man-of-the-tournament, on Tuesday complimented Mahendra Singh Dhoni for his match-winning knock of 91 not out in the final of the mega event, terming it as the Indian skipper's best-ever innings.

"It was a dream come true. As M.S. (Dhoni) said (earlier) I did not know what to do. I wanted to jump on M.S. and keep jumping on him. He had just played the innings of his life," the flamboyant batsman said about the Indian skipper's masterly innings, in the latter's presence.

The Ranchi-born wicketkeeper-batsman had promoted himself to number 5 above in-form Yuvraj and simply took away the game from Sri Lanka by slamming two sixes and eight fours in his 79-ball masterpiece at the Wankhede Stadium.

Dhoni, only the second captain after Kapil Dev to lead India to the game's showpiece trophy, put on 109 runs for the fourth wicket with Gautam Gambhir (97) and an unfinished 5th stand of 46 with Yuvraj, who remained unbeaten on 21.

"It was the highlight of my career. To win the World Cup after 28 years, was very special. Can't explain the feelings," said Yuvraj who scored 362 runs in 9 matches averaging 90-plus and also grabbed 15 wickets with his left arm slow bowling.

Dhoni, for his part, conceded he had gone blank after hitting the winning shot, a six.

"I was quite blank at that point of time. I didn't know how to celebrate. Then I saw Yuvraj's 6-foot, 2-inch (frame) coming towards me. I thought, he's not going anywhere; let me get to the stumps (souvenirs) first," said Dhoni at the event organised by Reebok to felicitate the triumphant team members.

Yuvraj said he worked hard to make a memorable comeback into the Indian squad after being dropped from both the Test and ODI teams last year.

"Last year was not a great one. I suffered a lot of injuries, but I received a lot of support from my teammates and people close to me. I kept on working hard and performed at the right time," he said.

Dhoni also talked about the importance of fielding and fitness. "Of course we have to put in a 100 per cent effort (to keep fit). Fielding is an integral part. Twenty overs (games) are said to be demanding but in 50 overs (games) you have to maintain intensity throughout," he said.

Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh said for him the team always came first. "Whenever there is a time to celebrate I celebrate. That's the way I have always been. I am there always for the team, the team comes first," he said.

Leg spinner Piyush Chawla and big-hitting all-rounder Yusuf Pathan also shared their memorable World Cup moments.

"I felt very good to take the World Cup in my hand. We played well," said Pathan.

"I don't have words to describe those feelings. It was a dream come true for me. For me it was a special feeling as it was my first home series. That (triumph) is something I will cherish all my life," he said.

[littlemaster1982]

Yuvraj is 6'2"? :shock:

[ajithfederer]

What you didn't know that>?. :lol:. That's my grouse. Panamaram madhiri valarndhum spin aada theriama irukkan.


Yuvraj is 6'2"? :shock:

[littlemaster1982]

What you didn't know that>?. :lol:. That's my grouse. Panamaram madhiri valarndhum spin aada theriama irukkan.

Avan avvalavu uyaram maadhiri theriyala. I thought he would be just below 6'.

[ajaybaskar]

Arambichuttaangayya... Arambichuttaangayya.. (http://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/news/item/172982-pmk-protests-m-s-dhonis-appearance-in-liquor-ad)

[Plum]

:lol:

TamizhanAgapattavan idhaiyellAm anubavichu dhAn AgaNum. Welcome to tamil citizenship, MSD!

[ajaybaskar]

MS with MK

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/article_horizontal/article-images/05CM.jpg.crop_display.jpg

[SoftSword]

nadodigal arasiyalvaadhi dhaan nyabagatthukku varaar...
anju nimisatthukku munnaala dhaanda photo edutthaanga... adhukkulla cut out vechutaanga... :lol:

[Plum]

idhai Election munnAdi release paNNi irundhA DMK return to power kanfaarmednga. Unfortunately, electionkappuram release paNdrAnga

[ajaybaskar]

CSK down, seetee for MSD
- Ranchi’s son is Chennai’s favourite pin-up boy

May 22: He’s played a captain’s knock of an unbeaten 70 off 40 deliveries for Chennai Super Kings in Bangalore, against home team Royal Challengers at the 69th IPL match today. But lost out to the Gayle hurricane.

Yet Chennai cheers for Dhoni. On TV, he has been grooving in his yellow team sweatshirt, with Tamil paatis (grandmoms) in nine-yard saris and dark shades, young bike boys and girls practising Bharatnatyam moves, all blowing the whistle. He’s blown the whistle with the boys in the dressing room. And then he’s said in faultless Tamil: “Chennai Super Kings ku whistle podu. (Blow the whistle for Chennai Super Kings).”

It is Tamilspeak for seetee baja ke, Chennai equivalent of the Mexican wave. Though the defending champs have had a roller-coaster innings in IPL-4, they are riding high on Whistle Podu (Blow the Whistle), the one-minute music video that celebrates “our boy” M.S. Dhoni. “Enga thala Dhoniku periya whistle adinga (Whistle aloud for our leader Dhoni)” goes a line in the song by Arvind & Jaishankar.

Chennaiites are watching it on TV, humming it, joining the Whistle Podu community page on Facebook and downloading it as ringtones.

Chennai’s Thoraipakkam resident and 26-year-old software engineer Raghavendran confesses he is an IPL fanatic, thanks to Dhoni.

“It’s a privilege to have him as captain,” he said. And what about Dhoni in Whistle Podu? “His accent is pretty decent,” the Tamilian endorses.

Dhoni transcends the so-called North-South divide. “IPL stands on how strongly people cheer for city teams. With cricketers sans regional affiliation, the challenge is to align them to the values of cities through personality transformation. In IPL, Dhoni’s a Chennai boy,” says Mudar Patherya, who wrote Wills Book of Excellence: Cricket and Penguin Book of Cricket Lists.

“Mahi stands for mental strength that appeals to Chennaiites,” says Souvik Misra, executive creative director, Bates 141.

What does Ranchi say about this southern hijack? “Ranchi does not have an IPL team, so it doesn’t matter which city he plays for,” says Yogesh Kaushal (23), Old Hazaribagh Road resident. “Chennai should be proud Dhoni plays for them,” adds friend Anand Kanoria.

The message from Ranchi is loud and clear. He may be your pin-up boy, Chennai, but he’s our boy.

[ajaybaskar]

Dhoni and captaincy

ESPNSTAR.com columnist Suresh Menon says that no Indian captain’s job has looked as secure as Dhoni’s.

During the third Test against the West Indies in July, Mahendra Singh Dhoni will turn 30. Since he took over from Anil Kumble, Dhoni has combined flair and certainty, and has been secure enough to stand aside while others have led.

This is unusual for Indian captains, most of whom are constantly made aware of the temporary nature of their assignment, and reminded by current events if not history that one false move will see them sidelined.

Not surprisingly, it is often seen as the second most difficult job in the country, the uncertainty of tenure alone causing premature balding and graying. Selectors have often contributed to this, keeping captains on edge, playing off one against the other, and forcing them into Mephistophelian compromises.

India had played international cricket for three decades before the first long-serving captain was given the reign. But even Tiger Pataudi, who led at 21, had to face the chairman's casting vote twice. He survived on the first occasion, and made way for Ajit Wadekar on the second.

Since Dhoni took over, three men have led India. Virender Sehwag, who is three years older, Suresh Raina (he led on the Zimbabwe tour while many seniors were rested), and Gautam Gambhir. Raina, 25 this year, will have to establish himself in the team over this season before his captaincy can be taken seriously. Gambhir is nearly the same age as Dhoni, and although he leads the team to the West Indies for the one-day series, can only be a stop-gap leader as long as Dhoni maintains his form and fitness.

If a natural successor to Dhoni four or five years down the line can be seen now, it is Virat Kohli. He is only 22 and yet to play Test cricket, but he has both an obvious toughness and tactical nous that make him stand out. Also, he seems to enjoy the responsibility of leading a side, which is a trait he shares with Dhoni, and one which is common to many great captains.

He has picked up a reputation for enjoying the good things of life, but that is something that can be corrected. India lost a potentially major captain when a similar reputation stuck to Ravi Shastri's name. Shastri might have been a great captain, but lost out in the West Zone versus North Zone politics which was sustained by his lifestyle often exaggerated in the media.

Kohli will have to learn from history even while realizing that a couple of generations after Shastri, society - and the selector - is probably more forgiving.

All that is many years into the future, although grooming a youngster is never a bad idea. Pataudi was groomed, Shastri was groomed, Dhoni was groomed.

England have decided to split their cricket captaincy three ways, and India, among the pioneers to split the job in two, will watch that experiment with interest. Dhoni is the most overworked of the Indian players, and sometime in the future he might withdraw from the T20 captaincy (even if he continues as player).

Dhoni's reputation rests on his man-management abilities and his risk-taking temperament. He has well-honed instincts and when he occasionally gets it wrong he feels secure enough to admit it. "We read the wicket wrong," he confessed after a World Cup game recently.

It will be interesting to see whom Dhoni himself grooms as his successor. This is not part of his job description, and in fact very few captains have even attempted it. But somehow one feels Dhoni is different.

[ajaybaskar]

Dhoni setting an example for other skippers

Sunil Gavaskar

Three teams in the playoffs have never won the IPL and they will go flat out to try and upset the defending champions Chennai Super Kings and stop them from winning another title. The skipper of the Chennai Super Kings is one who knows what winning is all about.

Under him the Super Kings have not only won the IPL but the Champions League too and then his most recent win has been the World Cup so he is indeed a winning captain and will be brimming with confidence. What distinguishes him from the others is his readiness to take on responsibility especially when the going is tough.

So when the team needs a push in the scoring rate, he will be the one to walk out ahead of someone who has been in good form but may not have his range of shots and the daring to play them that the skipper posseses. His example of showing no emotions is being followed by the other skippers in the IPL though some of them fail to control themselves like Dhoni does.

Still it is a good sign for it will mean that youngsters who are nervous about playing such a pressure-filled tournament can make mistakes and won't be bawled out by their captains on the field. The skippers are under immense pressure too since they are invariably the highest paid in their teams and so are expected to work miracles whenever the team is in trouble.

The new eliminator system for this year's tournament gives teams finishing in the top two another crack at getting into the finals. The only hitch is that the winner of the second semi-finals will have to play the finals the next day and if there's been a bit of a niggle for a key player then there is no time for him to be treated and so he may well have to play with that little injury. Didn't we see that in last year's finals when Tendulkar had that nasty split in the webbing but still played and in fact stopped some fierce shots with that injured hand.

The Mumbai Indians would have breathed a sigh of relief once the Kings XI Punjab could not raise themselves for one big final effort and this reprieve may well work in their favour. However they have to sort out their batting line-up since they seem to be wasting some players by having them too low down the order.

If there is a team that is determined to win, it is the Kolkata Knight Riders. Their skipper Gambhir is so charged up with the possibility that he is taking no chances and doing it all himself. He has a good bowling variety at his disposal which has made the task of defending small totals better than earlier.

The fourth team in the playoffs is a team that is having such a good time off the field that it is being reflected on the field too. There is perhaps no happier team in the IPL than the Royal Challengers of Bangalore and that joy is also being conveyed to their followers.

It is going to be close alright and just the kind of finish that the IPL wanted.

[VinodKumar's]

MSD is the most marketable Asian sport star, according to London-based SportsPro magazine.



MS Dhoni beats Rafael Nadal and Kobe Bryant - Sport - DNA (http://www.dnaindia.com/sport/report_ms-dhoni-beats-rafael-nadal-and-kobe-bryant_1545392)
www.dnaindia.com (http://www.dnaindia.com/)

[ajaybaskar]

Harper slams Dhoni

Australian umpire Daryl Harper has blasted India for their behaviour in the first Test against the West Indies, but admits he made a few errors in the match.

India won the Test, beating West Indies by 63 runs in the Caribbean, but skipper MS Dhoni sarcastically said in a post-match press conference that he would have been in his hotel room by now had it not been for the umpiring decisions.

Most of the decisions Dhoni was referring to involved Harper, who in the wake of the criticism, withdrew from standing in the third Test that starts Wednesday, due to be his final game as an international umpire.

"I didn't have my best game of the year but match referee Jeff Crowe, who observed every ball, calculated that I had managed to get 94 percent of all my decisions correct. That analysis was confirmed from headquarters in our Dubai office," Harper said on Friday.

"There was one LBW against Harbhajan that would have been reversed had Decision Review System been available."

"I also failed to detect a no ball when West Indian Bishoo's back foot touched the side or return crease, [a mistake that's] about as common as Indians eating beef burgers."

The Australian said even the West Indies players were unhappy with the way the visitors behaved on the field.

"West Indies expressed concern over Indian players' habit of charging at umpires when appealing which is against the spirit of the game," Harper said.

"I should never have applied the laws of cricket to Indian players."

Harper also came down strongly on Dhoni, and added that technology could not prove that his decision to give Virat Kohli out was a wrong one.

"We [Dhoni and I] did not share many pleasantries in the match," he said.

"Another decision that was notable involved Virat Kohli. He flashed wide of his body at a short ball that passed well outside his body down the leg side."

"He clearly gloved the ball and was given out."

"Replays could not confirm that my decision was right and they could not confirm my decision was wrong."

[ajaybaskar]

Dhoni should have been pulled up for his remarks: Australian media

SYDNEY: The Australian media has come down hard on the International Cricket Council (ICC) for not taking any action against Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, whose criticism of umpire Daryl Harper's performance in the first Test against West Indies led to the withdrawal of the official from the third Test.

Harper was to retire from the elite panel after the third Test, but following the criticism he chose not to officiate in what would have been his farewell match.

"Indian harassment and the ICC's inaction have seen Australian umpire Daryl Harper pull out of his farewell Test in the West Indies," reported the Australian on Friday.

"While the ICC said it was unfair criticism and defended Harper's record, it has not taken any action against India's captain. And Harper, who was about to stand in his 300th international, walked away," the report said.

The report said that there were a number of disputed decisions that upset the Indians, but they were only in that position because the Indian players and board refused to countenance the use of the Decision Review System (DRS). "Match referee Jeff Crowe did not punish Dhoni for his outburst."

India won the first Test at Kingston by 63 runs and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said: "If the correct decisions were made, the game would have finished much earlier and I would have been in the hotel by now."

The ICC's cricket manager, Dave Richardson, defended Harper's record.

"The reality of the situation is that Daryl's statistics show his correct decision percentage in Tests involving India is 96 per cent, which is considerably higher than the international average for top-level umpires," Richardson said.

Harper's former colleague Darrell Hair supported him. "You can't have players picking and choosing umpires," Hair was quoted as saying.

The 59-year-old Harper, who has stood in 95 Tests and 174 ODIs, is not the first umpire to feel poorly treated. In 2008, Steve Bucknor was sent home by the ICC after India complained about his performance in the controversial Sydney Test against Australia. Mark Benson also walked away amid controversy over the DRS in Australia two summers ago, citing ill health.

[ajaybaskar]

Wishing MSD and Mrs.MSD a very happy first wedding anniversary!!

[Plum]

idhellAm correctA gnAbagam vechuruppIngaLE...innEram indhi channelslAm Ranhci-la muRRugai ittiruppAngaLE

[scorpio]

Aishwarya Bachan pOla nalla news edhuvum illayaa? :roll:

[Plum]

Scorpio - avarukku engE vAippu kudukkaRAnga? Test Series, World Cup, Champions Trophy, Champions League, IPL - idhellAm pOga seekkiRam hotel Roomukkku pOgalAmnA, bad decision kodukkaRA Darryl HarpernAla extra time field-la.
eppO dhAn avarukku nEram kedaikkum? :)

[hamid]

Scorpio - avarukku engE vAippu kudukkaRAnga? Test Series, World Cup, Champions Trophy, Champions League, IPL - idhellAm pOga seekkiRam hotel Roomukkku pOgalAmnA, bad decision kodukkaRA Darryl HarpernAla extra time field-la.
eppO dhAn avarukku nEram kedaikkum? :)

:rotfl: .........

[hamid]

Harper slams Dhoni

Australian umpire Daryl Harper has blasted India for their behaviour in the first Test against the West Indies, but admits he made a few errors in the match.

India won the Test, beating West Indies by 63 runs in the Caribbean, but skipper MS Dhoni sarcastically said in a post-match press conference that he would have been in his hotel room by now had it not been for the umpiring decisions.

Most of the decisions Dhoni was referring to involved Harper, who in the wake of the criticism, withdrew from standing in the third Test that starts Wednesday, due to be his final game as an international umpire.

"I didn't have my best game of the year but match referee Jeff Crowe, who observed every ball, calculated that I had managed to get 94 percent of all my decisions correct. That analysis was confirmed from headquarters in our Dubai office," Harper said on Friday.

"There was one LBW against Harbhajan that would have been reversed had Decision Review System been available."

"I also failed to detect a no ball when West Indian Bishoo's back foot touched the side or return crease, [a mistake that's] about as common as Indians eating beef burgers."

The Australian said even the West Indies players were unhappy with the way the visitors behaved on the field.

"West Indies expressed concern over Indian players' habit of charging at umpires when appealing which is against the spirit of the game," Harper said.

"I should never have applied the laws of cricket to Indian players."

Harper also came down strongly on Dhoni, and added that technology could not prove that his decision to give Virat Kohli out was a wrong one.

"We [Dhoni and I] did not share many pleasantries in the match," he said.

"Another decision that was notable involved Virat Kohli. He flashed wide of his body at a short ball that passed well outside his body down the leg side."

"He clearly gloved the ball and was given out."

"Replays could not confirm that my decision was right and they could not confirm my decision was wrong."

what does this mean? He gave correct boundaries, sixes, leg byes, runs etc. and only made 4% errors?

[Plum]

I should never have applied the laws of cricket to Indian players
adhAN laws-ai madhikkAma Appu vekka muyaRchchi paNNingaLE Harperu? You already didnt apply Cricket laws to Indian players, Mr Harper.

94% ellAm sari - there is such a thing as the crucialness of the decision. If your 94% includes decisions in favour of Ishant Sharma(batting), Virat Kohli(Bowling), and the 6% includes dismissing Dhoni when he was not out, reprieving Chanders and Darren Bravo when they finally got out - then your numeric 94% doesnt matter.

Harper has been slammed even by English media - because he has costed them at times - which normally stands behind Anglo Saxon umpires. I am sure he'll now become a hero to them now that he has spoken against India and Dhoni but they will be tempered by their own previous writings against him.

Harper is the new Bucknor. Hating India, and boldly declaring that he was tempted to go against law to punish Indian players. idhai ellAm kandikkAdha ICC, encourage paNdra anglo-saxon media, BCCI-ai edhirkkaNumnu orE kAraNathukkAga, idhukkellAm othu oodhaRa Indian innocent fublic.

[ajaybaskar]

MS Dhoni: The man and the legend

Some say he has a charmed life. Some sigh and call it destiny. While many would choose to credit or blame fate, depending on perspectives, for his success, there is no denying that fortune favours the brave is an apt saying when it comes to a certain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

In his 30 years, which he completes on Thursday, Mahendra has touched upon and seized every accolade that could possibly ever come a cricketers way and though his team-mate in Sachin Tendulkar could rightfully boast of more laurels, this lad-from-Ranchi-turned-global-star-cricketer has every reason to be as proud.

The thing with comparisons are that they are mostly never fair and this is surely not one either. Instead, this is about a man who was given a bunch of hungry boys to lead and how he fed them with trophies and success galore. Cricket pundits, a few at least, regard the team that Dhoni inherited in 2007 was already fine-tuned to race to victory. The race itself was yet to begin.

Whether the ICC World T20 Trophy or the flagship tournament itself, the journey of the Indian team under Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been a whirlwind that has basked in more glory, arguably, than any other before it. Eleven make a team, one and only one will ever make a leader of it. Dhoni has been that driving force who has made gold off whatever he has touched.

While his biography may not be the rags-to-riches anecdotes exactly, for a young boy with long flowing brown hair - born in a middle class family to Pan Singh and Devaki Devi - to firmly etch his name in the cricketing hall of fame requires luck and hardwork. Dhoni has had both for him, along with a certain demeanour that reflects utmost confidence.

Dhoni's life chart once he made it to the national side has grown by leaps and bounds. So while he failed to make an impact in his ODI debut in 2004, the graph has since not dipped the slightest. What has changed though, apart from his most-watched hairstyle- over the years is his approach to the game. No cricket pundit is needed here to ascertain how as a batsman, MS has capped his raw and brutal aggression in a bid to play responsible knocks. Between his 183* off 145 against Sri Lanka at Jaipur in 2005 and 91 off 79 against Sri Lanka again in Mumbai 2011, the difference is not just of 6 years. The contrast lies in the stature.

So like Tendulkar, detailing much of his achievement would not be a first on his birthday, for the contemporary cricketing world has mostly been witness to this legend. Instead, on this day, here is wishing Mahi continuing success and a continuing blessed life.

[ajaybaskar]

Wishing MSD a very happy 30th birthday!!!

http://sports.ndtv.com/images/stories/05072011/top-banner-dhoni.jpg

[MADDY]

Dhoni has been a role model for me for a long time now.....wish him to attain inner peace as he has already achieved all successes.......

[19thmay]

Dhoni has been a role model for me for a long time now.....wish him to attain inner peace as he has already achieved all successes.......

ODI-la innum nember 1 aagalaye? Advance congratulations for him to get promotion in his personal life soon...

Happy Birthday Dhoni :)

[sathya_1979]

Dhoni has been a role model for me for a long time now.....wish him to attain inner peace as he has already achieved all successes.......
Kung-fu Panda effect ? :)

[sathya_1979]

iniya pirandha nAL vAzhthukkaL MSD avargaLE, aNiyai mEnmElum pala veRRigal kuvikka vazhi nadaththuveeraaga!

[ajaybaskar]

Ravi Shastri during the WC final: If India wins today, they'l become the No.1 team in the world. (After a few seconds).. Mohandas Menon has informed me that even if India wins the WC, they'l be placed second in the rankings. But who cares?

[Plum]

ODI #1 is thEvai illAdha ANi. I hope Dhoni gets enough time in the hotel room this year - appO dhAn Ajaybhasjar solRa promotion kedaikkum. Wishing him less Daryl Harpers and more Aleem Dars in India matches :-). And hope his team doesn't follow the India Batting Collapse strategy to enable quick hotel returning in the England tour :oops:

[raajarasigan]

Wishing India's best captain ever MSD a very happy birthday :D

[ajaybaskar]

odi i hope dhoni gets enough time in the hotel room this year - appo dhan ajaybhasjar solra promotion kedaikkum.

அத சொன்னது நான் இல்லீங்கோவ்.. :-)

[Plum]

oh Sorry nInga matter nadandhadhkuppuRam confirm paNNI solRadhula dhAnE expert - idhu 19th May sonnadhunu ippO dhAn noticed :oops:

[ajaybaskar]

India waited for long for a leader like Dhoni: Bichel
http://sports.ndtv.com/images/stories/dhoni7300.jpg
New Delhi: An admirer of Mahendra Singh Dhoni's captaincy, former Australian pacer Andy Bichel says India needed a leader like him for a very long time as he has the ability to get consistent performances from his teammates.

Bichel worked with Dhoni during his stint as a bowling coach with Chennai Super Kings and became an admirer of his man-management skills.

"He's (Dhoni) the kind of captain who leads from the front. I think he's the captain which Indian cricket needed for a long time. And now that they've got the guidance and skill, they are producing good performances week in and week out," he told PTI in an interview.

"My feel about captaincy is that it is about the guys that are underneath you and whether they can do their roles. I see nearly everyone in the Indian team at the moment performing, which makes the captain's job very very easy," said Bichel, who is currently coaching the Papua New Guinea national team.

Bichel feels the kind of cricket the Indian team is playing currently, it deserves to rule the world.

"The Indian cricket team is doing a lot of things right at the moment and it is no surprise that they are close to number one in all three forms (of the game)," he said.

The 40-year-old Queenslander also feels that the Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) has played a significant role in the team's present success.

"The Indian cricket officials have exposed the game to country areas as well which has given them a catchment of more players which is a great thing for Indian cricket at the moment," said Bichel.

"You look at (Ishant) Sharma. He has been in and out and now he is bowling in the West Indies and he is bowling quick and dominating the West Indies team at the moment."

Bichel, who took 58 wickets in 19 Tests and 78 scalps in 67 ODIs, was of the view that world cricket currently lacks quality batsmen due to the advent of the Twenty20 version.

"I think in recent times there has been a big influence on batting and bowling. Twenty20 has changed the psyche of the game," he said.

"If you go back 20 years there was a mentality where people used to ask 'do you bat or do you bowl?' But that has changed very quickly in a short space of time. Players are now trying to have a bite of both cherries as well as fielding.

"Now if you are good in all of those areas you are of more value to a Twenty20 side and that's what's dominating cricket in recent times," he added.

The ICC's decision to restrict the number of teams to 10 from the 2019 World Cup also did not go down well with Bichel.

"I'm not too sure if it's a step in the right direction. I think there should be a qualifying stage that teams go through. I think for the Twenty20 I really like how they have gone about it, they've made it really big and it gives teams like us something to strive for. If you want to improve you need opportunities to play at higher standard," Bichel said.

"With 50 over cricket I think the issue is that the World Cup seems to take a long time to get over and it seems to keep getting longer and longer.

"But some of those fringe teams have invested a lot of money in recent times to go forward and without an opportunity where do they go?" Bichel, who had played a major role in Australia's 2003 World Cup triumph, questioned.

Asked about the Papua New Guinea team, Bichel said the young associate nation is moving in the right direction and with more international exposure they will only get better.

"They are moving forward. Two years ago when I first came here there were no facilities and when you look around today they have facilities that they can improve (their performance) on," he said.

"I think the taste they got at the last tournament against the UAE and Namibia, who have had a fair bit of international experience, has set a bit of a benchmark.

"Those teams ranked about 15 to 18 are pretty even. So it gives us real insight into where we have to get to. I think these guys are ready for that. They have played a lot of cricket over the last 12 months, and now the more they play and the better standard they play, they can only improve," he added.

[Sourav]

Happy B'day MSD!

[ajithfederer]

Happy Birthday MS Dhoni. Health is most important and take care of it.

[VinodKumar's]

Happy B'day Dhoni. It's time for you to develop team for next generation.

http://i53.tinypic.com/o6mnwp.jpg

[ajaybaskar]

MSD's b'day makes fans go ga-ga

If you did not catch the buzz surrounding Mahendra Singh Dhoni's birthday on Thursday, then you clearly are not as great a cricket fan as you claim to be. Captain Courageous turned the city's favourite birthday boy as fans and followers celebrated the day in style, wishing their hero luck and happiness.

While some cut cakes to mark MSD's 30th birthday, others sent wishes to him on various social networking sites.

Dugri resident Manvinder Singh said he celebrated the day with his cricket buddies. ''I've also reserved a table for dinner with family,'' he added. Manvinder's room speaks of his adoration for Dhoni ' posters are pasted on walls, with another one being bought just on the captain's 30th birthday.

Rahul Khanna of Haibowal said he ordered a special cake for the occasion. ''The baker made Dhoni's face on the cake,'' he smiled. Rahul loves Dhoni's helicopter shot and watches him closely to learn his style, especially his cool temperament.

Dhoni has another ardent fan in Dilpreet Singh of Model Town Extension. ''His presence of mind is notable,'' he said.

Wanting to send his best wishes to the cricketer, Dilpreet would donate money to the needy. ''I will ask them to bless Dhoni,'' said the youngster.

Former Ranji player Amrik Singh Nagra, a resident of Himmat Singh Nagar, said MSD was keeping the sport alive by motivating youngsters with his leadership. ''I threw a party in the cricket ground for his fans,'' he smiled.

[ajaybaskar]

http://www.chennaisuperkings.com/images/sp_w1.jpg
http://www.chennaisuperkings.com/images/sp_w2.jpg
http://www.chennaisuperkings.com/images/sp_w3.jpg

[SoftSword]

print out edutthu onnaa sertthu paakkanumaa?
ennayaa velayaattu idhu?

[ajithfederer]

MS Dhoni figures reflect India's great shape ahead of England tour

Following a series win in the Caribbean, India are back to full strength and little is likely to intimidate them in England

MS Dhoni's captaincy of India has been criticised, but his figures tell a different story. Photograph: Philip Brown/Reuters

After 15 wins and only three defeats in the 27 Tests that MS Dhoni has captained India, his win-loss ratio is superior to that of Steve Waugh (41-9) and Mike Brearley (18-4). The win percentage – 55.55 – puts in the shade Viv Richards, 54%, and Clive Lloyd, 48.64%. That's not to say that Dhoni belongs in such illustrious company yet. But those numbers put into perspective irate comments on social-networking platforms – "gutless wimp" being one description of him – in the aftermath of India's 1-0 series win in the Caribbean.

India won comfortably at Sabina Park, a former theatre of nightmares, would have triumphed in Barbados but for lots of rain and an obdurate 73 from Darren Bravo, and were denied victory in Dominica only by two contrasting centuries from Kirk Edwards, on debut, and Shivnarine Chanderpaul.

On England's last trip to the Caribbean two years ago, they lost 1-0, with Jerome Taylor steamrollering them in Jamaica. But while some disappointment over the deceptive scoreline – 2-0 would have been a fairer reflection of the balance of power over the three Tests – is natural, the criticisms say more about the new fans' radio phone-in mentality than they do about Dhoni.

Four years ago, it was Rahul Dravid who was excoriated for not chasing victory at The Oval, with India 1-0 up in the series against England. The hysteria abated then only after Michael Vaughan came in for his press conference and admitted that he would have done the same thing.

In Dominica, India were left to chase 180 in 47 overs on a pitch that had gotten so slow it resembled a comatose tortoise by the end. Chanderpaul and Fidel Edwards defied India for 37 overs in the morning to transform likely defeat into possible draw.

Had Dhoni refused the dangled carrot with a full-strength side some of the vitriol would have been justified. But India played this tour without Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir and Sachin Tendulkar, three of the cornerstones of their steady progress to No1. Their replacements failed to stake any claim in West Indies. Prior to his 45 on the final afternoon, Murali Vijay had managed 27 in five innings. Virat Kohli's tally was 76. Neither can complain about not being in the squad for England.

One man who is, thanks largely to Sehwag missing at least the first fortnight of the England tour, is Abhinav Mukund. The 21-year-old from Tamil Nadu has a stellar domestic record – a century every three matches – and gritty innings of 48 and 62 edged him ahead of Vijay in the pecking order.

West Indies may not have been able to call on Taylor, and Kemar Roach was never used, but Edwards bowled with genuine pace and hostility for his 19 wickets in the series. At the other end, Darren Sammy and Ravi Rampaul shouldered a heavy workload while coming up with the odd telling spell. Devendra Bishoo took 12 wickets to suggest that he'll be around for a good few years yet.

Dhoni could have been looking at a 3-0 scoreline had Zaheer Khan travelled to the Caribbean. In his absence though, Ishant Sharma rediscovered some of the verve that made him one of the game's most exciting prospects three years ago. His 22 wickets cost just 16 apiece and he was once again thudding the ball into the bat splice and angling it in to the right-handers.

Praveen Kumar, who took 12 wickets in his debut series, will also come into the equation with his controlled swing bowling should England opt for a green top at some point over the four-Test series. With Sreesanth, extremely impressive at times in the drawn series in South Africa, also back in the fray, India are not short of seam options.

Chris Tremlett has already called for bouncy, bowler-friendly surfaces to rattle the Indian cage. It's a scenario that won't intimidate a full-strength Indian top order. Each of India's most feted overseas wins – The Wanderers (2006), Trent Bridge (2007), Perth (2008) and Durban (2010) – have come on surfaces that were supposed to favour the home side. On a juiced-up pitch, the more skilled batting line-up invariably wins. India's top six back themselves to be as good as anyone they come up against.

Duncan Fletcher's first tour in charge saw them successful in every form of the game. Afterwards, the coach bristled at suggestions that India had somehow failed by not going for the target in Dominica. "I think we made a statement," he said. "We came here with five top players missing. We've come here with a young side and we have won 1-0.

"At the end of the day we would have liked to have won 4-1 in the ODIs [it finished 3-2, with West Indies winning two dead rubbers] and 2-0 in the Tests. And that could have happened in Barbados. With another half hour, if the bad light hadn't come in, I think we could have won it. That's making a statement for a team missing its top players."

It could have been Gary Kirsten saying that. The South African who went home after April's World Cup win was adored by the players because of his eagerness to shield them from over-the-top criticism. He handed over the reins to a man many see as his coaching mentor, and the message emanating from the camp is clear. There will be no rocking the boat, no matter what the keyboard warriors think.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2011/jul/11/ms-dhoni-india-england-tour

[ajithfederer]

Dhoni's WC Final bat has been sold in an auction in London for 100,000 pounds.

[ajaybaskar]

Lucky captain Dhoni admits he cannot enjoy playing for India

http://www.independent.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00626/pg-54-dhoni-afp_626275a.jpg

All the fuss on the way to the first Test match has been about one Indian cricketer. Sachin Tendulkar, who has achieved a veneration usually reserved for gods, stands improbably on the cusp of making his 100th international hundred.

It has been natural to talk about him, and anybody (which is everybody) who has been asked, has been glad to the point of desperation to praise his unparalleled contribution to a sport he has graced for 20 years. But another Indian cricketer in this series is assuming, if he has not already done so, a significance every bit as great.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni is the captain of India. On his watch, they have become the world's top side in the ICC ratings and they also won the World Cup. When he led Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League, they won it. This boy has something. To the naked eye there is nothing especially prepossessing about Dhoni's captaincy, no cute tactical tricks, no apparent psychological masterstrokes.

But there is no doubt that this is his team. India were first dragged into modern cricket by Sourav Ganguly, whose hauteur and conviction were boundless. Dhoni's leadership is defined by tranquillity which never appears to be disturbed despite the constant attentions of a billion people.

Two months ago, Dhoni pulled off an astonishing coup in the World Cup final. He had been in moderate nick throughout the tournament, but his calm demeanour had ensured that India progressed to the final without undue alarm. But it was beginning to look bad for them against Sri Lanka when they lost their third wicket. To general surprise, Dhoni promoted himself in the order, judged his innings perfectly, finished it with a six, scored 91 not out from 79 balls and India had won the World Cup for the first time in 28 years. That was leadership all right.

Dhoni has a neat trick in press briefings where his opinion is sought on everything and he gives one on virtually nothing while speaking at length with considerable charm. He attempted superficially to explain the elements of his captaincy yesterday on the eve of the series in which India may lose their Test ranking to England.

"The first thing is to have a good side," he said. "Then, trying to keep it simple is very important especially when you have the expectation of 1.2 billion people. What we really emphasise is enjoying the game. Cricket is a sport, you're supposed to enjoy it, which more often than not being part of the Indian team you're not really able to do.

"The hype that is around cricket, the amount of people that watch cricket, the amount of opinions that float around, I try to set the right expectation level. When we turn up on the field we're expected to win each and every game which we know is not possible."

And there you had it, the secrets of MS Dhoni. It is common for folk today, usually on television talent or reality shows, to talk of their journey. Dhoni has had a remarkable journey from the Indian railways. When India reached the World Cup final in 2003, he was a ticket clerk on a station near his home in Ranchi, in north-east India, some 250 miles from Calcutta.

Greg Chappell, one of India's less-successful coaches, first spotted his leadership potential (and that really is it – he is a leader). The cricket skills are high but rudimentary. There is no grace about his method; it simply gets the job done. He never expected to be at Lord's or anywhere else playing international cricket. He was asked what he thought about the opinion that he was a lucky captain.

"In 1999 I first played under-19 state cricket," he said. "If somebody had told me I would be playing with Sachin I would have told them that's a lie, it won't happen. I never thought I would play for India, I never thought I would share a dressing room with Sachin Tendulkar or some of the other legends, from Anil Kumble, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman. It's an honour. I feel if the team is winning it doesn't matter if we are a good side or the fact that the captain is lucky or the player is lucky, if we're winning I don't mind."

Tendulkar is one thing, by the end of the series England may have rediscovered that Dhoni is quite another.

[Plum]

Since this thread gets updated only on positive results for Dhoni, not many updates expected during the ongoing India-England test series in England.
Dhoni fans - :poke: first major test series and all the magic kaput

[ajaybaskar]

Annan ban aavuradhukkaana vaaippugal adhigama theriyudhu.. :-(

[kid-glove]

Hope they get Saha & not make Rahul keep wickets just to accommodate Yuvi.

[jinju]

Hope they get Saha & not make Rahul keep wickets just to accommodate Yuvi.

don't think they'l make rahul do that for a full test! possibility is mukund out, yuvi in. rahul to open with gautam, and saha in for msd, and horror of horrors, sree in for zak!

[kid-glove]

Gautam could be out injured for next match.

[raajarasigan]

Not sure about Gautam's fitness for the next match but there is NO fracture as per his X-ray report..

[jinju]

Gautam could be out injured for next match.

aahaa! then reverse it...rahul with mukund. yuvi is in anyways then!

[sathya_1979]

Nesst Match Venue?

[jinju]

Nesst Match Venue?

trentbridge, our favorite venue!

[ajaybaskar]

No chatting here.. :evil:

[sathya_1979]

No chatting here.. :evil:
:poke: I asked cricket match info vonlee!

[Plum]

But, seriously, I wish I were in the Bash Dhoni mode now. There has never been a better time to bash Dhoni - wicket-keeping gone kaput, batting limitations exposed, captaincy for the first time, has hit a brick wall against a genuinely superior England team. Bad times are here for the hitherto unchallenged Indian captain.

Unfortunately, I am only feeling sympathy for him now. What to do?
(Or maybe that is why - me feeling sympathetic - he has started to fail? )

[sathya_1979]

Come on Plum - Premier Fast bowler Injured on Day-1, 2 Premier Batsmen not feeling well (Ghambir and Sachin). Even Taylor or Waugh could not have done anything in this situation. Think of Aus in 2005 Ashes, annihilating everyone before - Lost Grath before the start of 2nd test, JUST 1 Bowler and they lost the series.

[Plum]

sathya, I dont know the causes but fact is Dhoni's wicket-keeping in this test has been absymal. I put it down to the workload he has been subjected to. I think we may have killed the Golden Goose with the IPL. IPL is fun, sure, and I think I quite enjoyed it so far but it is killing our test #1 ranking and the chance to be a great test team. This is evident no more than in Dhoni's case. He is not as bad as this test has shown him up as a keeper and batsman.

As a captain, too, opening with Raina after Lunch reminds one of the similar instance that catapulted him to fame as captain - that of Ricky Ponting using Mike Hussey to quicken the over rate leading to Dhoni's first test series win. Within 2 years, he himself has fallen to the same syndrome. Atleast, Ponting took 5 years to reach that state.

I can only put that down to his over-worked brain.

[sathya_1979]

I put it down to the workload he has been subjected to. I think we may have killed the Golden Goose with the IPL. IPL is fun, sure, and I think I quite enjoyed it so far but it is killing our test #1 ranking and the chance to be a great test team. This is evident no more than in Dhoni's case. He is not as bad as this test has shown him up as a keeper and batsman.
I can only put that down to his over-worked brain.
+1979 to above quoted statements, I warned of this long time back.

[Plum]

Dhoni to have his brain mapped for a neuro-management study (http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/url/372264.html)

[MADDY]

Dhoni to have his brain mapped for a neuro-management study (http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/url/372264.html)

adutha Indhiya janadhibadhi Dhoni vaazhga :victory:

[P_R]

Daktaer ! http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/image/530253.html?page=1

[Dinesh84]

:lol2:
http://i56.tinypic.com/301ncqt.jpg

[Plum]

sakala kalA Doctor :)

[ajaybaskar]

Dhoni not thirsting for revenge

Mahendra Singh Dhoni is not thirsting for revenge. Not even the worst tour in the modern age for Team India seems to have forced him out of his philosophical vein of thinking. He believes it is simply a matter of going back to basics, which is a sensible enough principle in cricket. Except that the Indian cricket fans will be baying for blood.

To lose eight out of nine completed games is a fate that is almost unique to a modern touring team. To have lost a game after scoring in excess of 300 must be considered the worst performance by a bowling team. Not even hitting such a nadir seems to have upset the player who, till not so long ago, was acknowledged as the best captain in contemporary world cricket.

The reasons for such a bad performance are not far to seek. A devastating string of injuries to several of the players who made it possible for India to climb and stay as the world's top Test team for 20 months and to many of those who also created the World Cup victory just a bit over five months ago meant Team India was never at full strength. The loss of nine men to injury was far too debilitating.

The several close finishes in the limited-overs segment that also included an extraordinary tie, which could have ended in two other results, may be pointers to where Team India's real merits lie. The Test mace has been handed over with great dignity to England and it will take a long time for India to get it back. Make no mistake - Team India's future lies with the white ball, which is why Dhoni's men should be looking for quick revenge over England who won the T-20 in a canter despite India's fighting total and drew away to a 3-0 ODI win against a battling India. To say you should not let a 'revenge-like feeling' drive you to desperation in performance is not practical. The road forward should begin with a 'brownwash' of England in the one-day series next month.

Dhoni makes the valid point that this is not the time to sulk. But he should know more than anyone else that the blame for the shambolic show in England lies as much with the players as with the cricket board. The board erred by packing too much cricket in a greedy Unca Scrooge kind of way while the players themselves were not far behind in accepting any workload so long as the pay envelope could be stuffed in their pockets.

A greedy Board and selfish players had paid scant regard to a significant series against England in which the top Test ranking would be at stake. England's plans to steal the top spot from India were hatched long ago but BCCI treated the series as a joke. Team India came in dribs and drabs to England, having neither the time nor a plan to prepare properly for a top-notch series.

The philosopher king of Indian cricket, Dhoni now says, "Every side, every individual makes a mistake. But as long as you are learning from your mistake that's good enough." Fair enough, life rolls on such thinking even amid the gloom. It was good to note the skipper taking the trouble to list the few positives that were there to be seen even in such a dismal series.

Truth to tell, the rub of the green was also not India's even if it must be accepted that champion teams are supposed to make their own fortunes even in the face of adversity. There were times when it did seem God was an Englishman. Every rain break seemed to favour the home side. Also, the coach Duncan Fletcher and Dhoni lamented that whenever Team India set out for the nets more often than not it was raining and they had to switch sessions to indoor practice.

Whatever BCCI and the players do from here on the England results cannot be changed. If the disaster helps change attitudes on the part of both, Indian cricket may climb back to the peaks again, however long that journey to the top takes this time. It will, however, make very little difference if Indian cricket carries on in the same mode - IPL and Champions League first and everything else afterwards.

Again, it is the leaders who have to show the way. Dhoni, Dravid, Tendulkar, Laxman and Zaheer Khan helped India climb to the top. They would have to shape the future by showing they are prepared to change their attitude too in order to help Team India recover from these lows. Are they prepared to make the sacrifices all over again is the million dollar question that modern day cricket millionaires will have to answer.

[ajaybaskar]

Dhoni most valuable player in England-India ODIs (http://www.rediff.com/cricket/report/india-england-dhoni-most-valuable-player-in-england-odis-srinivas-bhogle-purnendu-maji/20110921.htm)

[ajaybaskar]

Dhoni on his gray hair

New Delhi: For everyone who held his breath waiting for the winning run in the final match of the 2011 World Cup and exhaled as skipper MS Dhoni hit a six to win it for India, here's the story behind it.

At the NDTV Indian Of The Year Awards 2011, where the Indian cricket team won the award for India's Heroes of the Year for the World Cup magic and history, the Captain Cool narrated how he promoted himself up the batting order in the final against Sri Lanka. "I hadn't planned to promote myself and play earlier. Gary (then coach Kirsten) asked me if I would go early. I thought with two spinners, maybe I should. It worked for me."

Captain cool Dhoni went in to bat ahead of the in-form Yuvraj Singh and explained why he played that gamble. The deadly Muralitharan, he said, was bowling and having played with the world's best spinner in the Chennai IPL team, he knew his game. The gamble paid off. "Gautam (Gambhir)and I do cheeky singles very well," said the captain, flanked by his team. And then turned to Yuvraj Singh to say, "Yuvi and I run the doubles very well."

And just how does he keep his cool in pressure situations? Count the grey hair said the 30-year-old Dhoni. "I get influenced by pressure but I have so much gray hair because I don't let expressions on field reveal this," he said.

The entire team shared a few words for their captain. "He's like a brother", said Sreesanth. "He pushed me down in the order," Yuvraj said jokingly.

More reminiscences from the historic World Cup. Gautam Gambhir said of his innings of 97 in the final, "As soon as I got out, I thought I will regret these three runs for rest of my life (got out at 97). But being part of winning side makes up for everything.

Current toast Virat Kohli said the team had won the cup for Sachin. When asked about his captain, Kohli said: "He backs his players all the time." Sehwag reiterated his sentiments. While Gambhir called Dhoni "Very relaxed", Ashwin said his skipper is always aware of the situation.

And some laughter. Sunil Gavaskar said the 1983 World Cup winning team was better looking. The poster boy of the 2011 winning team, the rather dashing Yuvraj Singh agreed. "He's right, we are an ugly group of guys."

[ajaybaskar]

Dhoni has reigned supreme for six years

Friday offered the first opportunity for Mahendra Singh Dhoni to test his resources, resolve and repel an opposition keen to sustain its splendid and successful undertaking in home conditions. Beaten hollow in all formats of the game, his team that had earned some plaudits for its work in the NatWest one-day series may have taken the field with anxiety, but he played his part to perfection and showed the way for his team to notch an emphatic win.

His undefeated 87 on the back of his unbeaten 78 at Lord’s and an unbeaten 50 at Cardiff meant that the England bowlers had not been able to outwit the Indian captain for the third time. It was also his second consecutive man of the match winning effort on Indian soil; the previous one having come in the ICC World Cup final against Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium on April 2. He had scored a rousing unbeaten 91 hitting winning shot over long on.

It’s another superb performance with the bat that set him apart from the likes of Suresh Raina, Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli, fast bowler Umesh Yadav and the slow spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. Taking guard at the fall of Kohli as the fourth Indian wicket, Dhoni once again gave serious import to the No. 6 position in the order and restored the innings to a highly competitive score that England failed to muster under the lights.

Without doubt it was yet another successful outing for Dhoni, under pressure to cause a quick turnaround after the rout in England. A batsman who is indifferent to the science of batting, relishes rural hoicks, attempts the extremities of the helicopter-shot and surprises opponents and spectators with strokes of rich brilliance, has been India’s leading batsman in one-day internationals in the last six years. Numbers eloquently speak of his resounding success and ability to extract heavy penalty of even good balls. Dhoni has had an amazing run after being blotted by a zero on debut against Bangladesh at Chittagong, two days before the Christmas of 2004. A robust 148 that pulverized Pakistan’s sharp pace and spin attack at Vishakapatnam April 5, 2005 set him into forward motion in Indian cricket.

After his match-winning 87 on Friday, his record stands at 6372 runs in 172 innings with seven centuries, 42 half centuries, an average of 50.17 and a strike rate slightly lower than 90. Dissecting the figures - 5017 runs scored under daylight in 125 innings - one would place him as a formidable and dangerous opponent. He has scored 4094 runs in 93 innings for a winning cause at a very impressive average of 75.81 which is marginally higher than 73.83 for his 1772 runs for the winning cause in 39 home innings. He has scored 2322 for a winning team in 54 innings in away matches for a remarkable average of 77.40.

Dhoni’s response to situations has been unerring and extraordinary scoring freely in all positions from No. 3 to 7. He has opened the innings twice and scored 98 (49.00), batted one-down 16 times and scored 993 (82.75), two down 16 times and scored 833 (69.42), batted three down 45 times and scored 1852 runs (54.47), batted four down 64 times and scored 1904 (39.67), five down 26 times and scored 641 (40.06) and six down three time and scored 51 (17.00). Clearly Dhoni has reigned supreme for the last seven years.

Left hander Yuvraj Singh comes close to Dhoni’s achievements from the time the present India captain made his debut. In this period Yuvraj has played 157 innings and scored 5547 runs at 42. 67 with a strike rate of 88.43. Sachin Tendulkar has played 111 innings, scored 4680 at 45.88, Virender Sehwag has played 129 innings, scored 4699 runs at 37.29, Rahul Dravid has played 96 innings and scored 3251 runs at 39.17 and Suresh Raina has played 107 innings and scored 3054 runs at 35.51. Gautam Gambhir has played 106 innings and scored 3993 runs at 41.58. In fact the left hander - either being dropped or because of injury - has not figured in 135 one-day internationals after he made his debut in April 2003.

[littlemaster1982]

Lt. Colonel Dhoni

http://www.thehindu.com/multimedia/dynamic/00824/IN01_DHONI_824537f.jpg

http://static.cricketnext.com/pix/sitepix/11_2011/msdhoni_lieutenan_630_345x230.jpg

[GSV]

Dhoni to decide ODI future in 2013
http://www.espncricinfo.com/india/content/current/story/545748.html

[SoftSword]

what a foresight and the way he visualises on how a new keeper would cope up in WC 2015 if he pulls out close to the tournament...
the way he plans the new guy would atleast need 100 international games to hav the sort of exp for that...
sets the absolute example for leadership...

oh dhoni.... the most admired person after sachin in cricket world...

[Plum]

If dhoni also quits, will ODI format survive until next world cup?

[wizzy]

Kohls route clear :-D

[VinodKumar's]

Singam :)

http://i41.tinypic.com/1zn391j.jpg

[ajithfederer]

Ellam dharalama aagum.

If dhoni also quits, will ODI format survive until next world cup?

[ajaybaskar]

Annan is yet to be dismissed in this Asia cup. :clap:

[wizzy]

Annan is yet to be dismissed in this Asia cup. :clap:
he is yet to dismissed in the subcontinent after the worlcup final :thumbsup:

[VinodKumar's]

he is yet to dismissed in the subcontinent after the worlcup final :thumbsup:

Small correction - after the worldcup semifinal :)

[VinodKumar's]

:rotfl:

http://i39.tinypic.com/v2y935.jpg

[VinodKumar's]

Mass


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=sGxvAMX-NH4

[VinodKumar's]

Singham Singham

http://i40.tinypic.com/34qn5ep.png

[ajaybaskar]

Vinod,

Whats there in the video? It has been removed by the uploader I guess.

[littlemaster1982]

Dhoni's six in Samuels' over. Wait pannunga, official channel-laiye vandhudum.

[VinodKumar's]

Cometh the hour, cometh MS Dhoni

CSK entered the play-offs because they were lucky. Dhoni is not in form. Their batsmen have struggled. These were the talks doing rounds around the news when CSK qualified for the final 4, but the skipper made sure that everything was forgotten in a span of just 20 balls as he inspired his side to a memorable win over Mumbai Indians. It is not the first time that Dhoni has played an innings like this, especially in a pressure game like an eliminator. The skipper took the bull by the horn right from the word go and unleashed a brutal, relentless attack on the Mumbai bowling line up which took the Super Kings to a total of 187.

Dhoni walked into the middle after Hussey and Badrinath rescued the side from early trouble with a 94 run 3rd wicket stand. Dhoni’s first ball set the tone for the knock – he whipped Pollard with a wristy flick and sent the ball through the mid wicket fence. He didn’t look back after that, as he continued to bat in a positive manner despite a couple of wickets falling at the other end. In the process, he hit a couple of stunning sixes too – one off Franklin which went out of the stadium (and also the longest six of the tournament with 112 meters), and the other of Lasith Malinga where the skipper unleashed his helicopter shot to perfection and smashed the ball over deep mid wicket. None of the bowlers were spared as Dhoni and Dwayne Bravo put on an unbeaten 73 run stand off just 29 deliveries.

At the post match presentation Dhoni gave the credit to Hussey and Badrinath for reviving the innings, and also spoke in jest about his hairstyle which is giving him the runs. Dhoni also revealed the secret behind the helicopter shot, saying “I developed it while playing tennis ball cricket in my early days. The bowlers used to try and bowl yorkers and I developed this shot”

http://specials.cricbuzz.com/ipl/2012/topperformer/11254/147

[MADDY]

http://newindianexpress.com/cricket/news/article539694.ece

Dhoni has the backing of Dravid..........


Dravid argues that the debacle in England and Australia was a collective failure.

everyone is talking about team, players, collective success, failure and Dravid coming openly in support of Dhoni means the team is split wide open..........Dhoni's image probably grew bigger than the team which must rubbed off delhi camp in wrong places.......

if BCCI has semblance of any management authority should either sack Dhoni camp or Delhi-6 camp - i cant imagine how gauti and dhoni can even see each other in dressing room.......

[wizzy]

Wall is covering for IC :lol: seniors/Dilli gang are not keen on Dhoni's new mangager/ex-Ranji Player/benami..who is touted to be the most powerful guy in Indian cricket after Seenu Maama and even a player was picked solely on his pressure for India A tour of Windies and was later dropped owing to fitness.The benami company does the marketing/merchandising for CSK and this guy can be seen on all CSK matches...No idea how this guy got hooked to Dhoni and wielding so much power.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/india/content/player/32688.html

[Plum]

Dravid is employed by Seenu mama. Why, recently, he flew down to a SOS by Seenu mama in the palayampatti shield final, turning out for ijay CC.

It is futile blaming the dilli camp alone - it could be that Dhoni with his poor outside-the-comfort-zone personal performances, including a pathetic tour of England as a keeper, and an almost equally below-par on to Australia, has lost his respect in the team, atleast among the senior, establishe dones. Now, you could question Viru, Gauti etc what they tore outside sub continent but in their minds, they have past performances outside the sub continent while Dhoni has barely any.

Unfortunately, luck is ccming a full circle for Dhoni. A loss against England in India in this year's test tour will be the nadir. It has to be seen if Dhoni and/or Seenu mAma survive that calamity.

[Plum]

Having said that, it is true that Dhoni cant be blamed much for the 8-0 just as he doenst deserve much credit for the #1 ranking. Basically, the #1 ranking came from a black swan performance by the big 4 batsmen and before that, Kumble and Bhajji's sa;ad days. Dhoni, usually in the right place at the right time, ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time this time.

[ajithfederer]

Very well said. Totally agree.

Having said that, it is true that Dhoni cant be blamed much for the 8-0 just as he doenst deserve much credit for the #1 ranking. Basically, the #1 ranking came from a black swan performance by the big 4 batsmen and before that, Kumble and Bhajji's sa;ad days. Dhoni, usually in the right place at the right time, ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time this time.

[wizzy]

Plum, Ashwin skippers Vijay CC..Seenu Maama is closely following our discussion :-)

With Saha showing his mettle with the bat in India A tour..yam hoping Dhoni saves the trouble and retires from tests to prolong his successful Odi career...to captain the national for 5 yrs with burden of wkt keeping is too taxing..he has seen the highs and lows of Indian cricket has to offer in a span of 6 months..about time we moved onto a new leader.

[MADDY]

Dravid is employed by Seenu mama. Why, recently, he flew down to a SOS by Seenu mama in the palayampatti shield final, turning out for ijay CC.

if i remember right, Sehwag, gambhir are not in good books of delhi heavy weights Arun Jaitley either........its even more worrying if BCCi head is battling with couple of hot heads in the team with a retired player's help....its like my CEO is trying to protect me with some of our ex employees instead of sacking me or the other guys.........if IPL is influencing so many things - thatha batting for gauti, ding maama batting for thoni with help of indiranagar indian - the god save test cricket in India.....


It is futile blaming the dilli camp alone - it could be that Dhoni with his poor outside-the-comfort-zone personal performances, including a pathetic tour of England as a keeper, and an almost equally below-par on to Australia, has lost his respect in the team, atleast among the senior, establishe dones. Now, you could question Viru, Gauti etc what they tore outside sub continent but in their minds, they have past performances outside the sub continent while Dhoni has barely any.

outside comfort zone - nobody has done well.....gauti, sehwag ellam solli solli thookirukkaanga in SA, Aus, Eng......but you are right, the grumbling must have been there from Dhoni's successful days and they seldom have any avenue to vent their opinions - srikanth maama, pawar, dingu maama are not going to hear anything against thoni.......they have history of bring DDCA to their knees for some days and its turn of BCCI....


Unfortunately, luck is ccming a full circle for Dhoni. A loss against England in India in this year's test tour will be the nadir. It has to be seen if Dhoni and/or Seenu mAma survive that calamity.

luck - i know this is the pet peeve for all people who want to see dhoni's scalp.............im sure gauti and sehwag dont think any different.......its imbibed in psyci of many people that whatever he got is due to his luck and has got more than what he deserves even after he has done so much.......

[MADDY]

With Saha showing his mettle with the bat in India A tour..yam hoping Dhoni saves the trouble and retires from tests to prolong his successful Odi career...to captain the national for 5 yrs with burden of wkt keeping is too taxing..he has seen the highs and lows of Indian cricket has to offer in a span of 6 months..about time we moved onto a new leader.

its been almost 6 yrs of captaincy and one of the formats must be taken away from Dhoni - its been too much for thala.......add this to IPL and must perform pressure from dingu maama for past 5 yrs.......but when u ask for dhoni's head in keeper's post, u r asking for the steepest punishment for any top rung player........even ur fav gilchrist and my fav mark boucher have had couple of bad away series.......i cant see anyone except healy having so much consistency.......and saha is no healy - dinesh karthik madhiri waste-a pogaama, konja naal groom panni kondu varalaam........he must be phased in

[MADDY]

Dhoni, usually in the right place at the right time, ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time this time.

world cup final in front of home crowd, chasing 275 with sachin and sehwag out in pavillion......yes, right place and right time dhaan :lol:

now if team wins series against england - "dingu maama buys ECB" allegations will come up with some make my trip ticket and hotel booking details of swann or strauss.......

[wizzy]

Maddy, I would cut some slack on Dhoni the batsman in tests overseas and asking your wkt keeper to hold fort in batting after 2 days of Keeping/top order failing every single time is pushing it a tad..Dhoni unlike Gilly/Boucher was never a natural wkt keeper and he was chosen when the likes of Parthiv/D(k) were proven to be a liability in keeping. Dhoni was deemed 'safe' wkt keeper and it worked out like dream when you throw in his captaincy/butchering attacks on subcontinental conditions.

He was a safe option even in India's tour of Eng/OZ '07 but now his wkt keeping skills has deteriorated and started to hurt our newbie test bowling attack. Its already been well established how Dhoni never fancies keeping up to quickies and prefers to stay way back which wrecks our slip catching+his hesitancy in stretching his lower back whilst going for those in-between catches to first slip..we are looking at a serious liability in wkt keeping. Dhoni for reasons unknown never goes through the wkt keeping drills so I can't see his wkt keeping skills improving to warrant a place in the test side.

When Gilly's wkt keeping skills started to wane in our 2007 series he called it quits before the selectors could raise a finger..Gilly unlike Dhoni still goes through the drills and his reflexes are good when you consider his age but keeping against quickies in tests is a completely different challenge..same is the case with Boucher who is a gun wkt keeper for starters and whatever he does with the bat is secondary.

Whatever I said on Dhoni's wkt keeping skills stands true for his captaincy too..he is a damn good skipper in subcontinental conditions and more than willing to attack with an array of spinners at a semblance of a chance and knows when to hold back/defend but does neither and comes out a cropper when given the same task overseas with seamers/pacers so I have reasons to believe that his wkt keeping skills has some bearing on the way he captains the side..he seems to be far more at ease against spinners which shows in captaincy in subcontinental conditions.

[Plum]

Maddy - no use being emotional(seenu mama bought ecbnu solvAngo etc reaction). Romba dispassionate$a dhaanE pEsikitturukkOm. "Even after doing so muc? Testla? As wizzy said, succesful odi pla/captain - worked with limited resources even in odis but quite succesful. Not so in tests. Viru, if not AtG, has a lot of success outside sub continent comfort zone. Anyway, I expect Dhoni's test captaincy to hit a nadir with the upcoming England series in India. That should do for his test captaincy and hopefully, Seenu mama's prepsidency. Anyway, enough discussed. Curve is getting normalised. It will hit the mean and all hyper narratives can take a rest - both positive hagiographies and negative rants.

[ajithfederer]

Seenu Maama is president till 2014. Adhu varaikkum onnum asaikka mudiyadhu unless the hearing brought by AC Muthiah is ruled against him in SC, which I don't see happening.

[MADDY]

Maddy - no use being emotional(seenu mama bought ecbnu solvAngo etc reaction). Romba dispassionate$a dhaanE pEsikitturukkOm. "Even after doing so muc? Testla? As wizzy said, succesful odi pla/captain - worked with limited resources even in odis but quite succesful. Not so in tests. Viru, if not AtG, has a lot of success outside sub continent comfort zone. Anyway, I expect Dhoni's test captaincy to hit a nadir with the upcoming England series in India. That should do for his test captaincy and hopefully, Seenu mama's prepsidency. Anyway, enough discussed. Curve is getting normalised. It will hit the mean and all hyper narratives can take a rest - both positive hagiographies and negative rants.

its not emotional at all - why Dhoni is still hailed the "oye lucky lucky oye" of Indian cricket...............

[MADDY]

Seenu Maama is president till 2014. Adhu varaikkum onnum asaikka mudiyadhu unless the hearing brought by AC Muthiah is ruled against him in SC, which I don't see happening.

thats a unfortunate thing - why do we get such hopeless BCCI heads - not even one is really interested in aesthetics than commerce........and the worse, dingu maama always having CSK at the back of his mind, is a death blow to test cricket..........see, he does not even moral authority neither interest to whip the dissidents within the team......

[wizzy]

Maddy, whats wrong in Dhoni being deemed 'lucky'..Dhoni would be the first one to acknowledge it..some of the decisions he had taken in the past did pay off but they were devoid of any cricketing logic and his stubbornness in proving his detractors wrong w.r.t team selection/batting order is well documented and it has cost the team dearly.

[raghavendran]

i dont believe in this delhi pasanga vs dhoni...everyone are playing for India and every one will try to give their best for the country...venumne ivan captain namma ivan pecha kekavenamna yosipainga?...even shane warne,gilly,waugh ivangellam udan pirapugal illiye...teamdhan mukkiyam..everyone would want to give their 100% for the team..and India just did not have a couple of bad series...it was the worst in Indian cricket history.....Dhoni,the manner in which he got out every time...:neutral:...test quality ellam illinga...i think he will also be remembered as a great limited overs player and a great captain at that

[ajaybaskar]

MSD pockets 26.5 million USD an year. He is 31st on the list of top earning sportspersons in the globe. He earns more than Sachin,Usain Bolt and Djokovic.

Source: Forbes

[ajaybaskar]

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/484301_456416344376766_1234396709_n.jpg

அண்ணனுடைய டி சர்ட் வாசகத்தை படித்து இன்புறவும்..:)

[VinodKumar's]

Onnumae therla Ajay. Ennanu sollunga.

[ajaybaskar]

It has Chennai map with the tagline 'The Heart of Chennai'.

[raajarasigan]

keeper - uthappam ?

[ajaybaskar]

இந்த மிசஸ் தோனி எப்ப பாத்தாலும் எதையாச்சும் தின்னுகிட்டே இருக்கு..

[ajaybaskar]

RR,

Thats not the keeper. Its a fielder. Keeper often stands behind the batsman and not the bowler. :wink:

Its not Uthappam.

[raajarasigan]

oh..no .. athu bowling end'a .. :lol:

[SoftSword]

looks like during some holiday in ooty...
nallaa palakkappatta area....

[wizzy]

^could be Kodai..Seenu Maama often retreats to Kodai Golf club in the summer.

[ajaybaskar]

http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/images/fullImage/ver1/d/dhoni_ap.jpg

Wishing the captain a very happy birthday and many more wonderful years ahead. :thumbsup:

[sathya_1979]

Happy Birthday Mahi! Wishing you good health and great success in future assignments :thumbsup:

[VinodKumar's]

Happy Bday Singham. Central-la irunthu aayiram prachaingal vanthalum namakku State irruku. Vazhthukkal.

[MADDY]

Mahi, the only reason to watch cricket for....birthday wishes

[Senareb]

http://tamil.drivespark.com/news/2012/08/dhoni-launches-his-bike-racing-team-msd-r-n-003087.html

சொந்தமாக பைக் ரேஸ் அணியை துவங்கிய டோணி!

[VinodKumar's]

India's MS Dhoni (http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/28081.html) has been named captain of the ICC's ODI Team of the Year for 2011-12. This is the fifth year in a row that Dhoni has made the team :notworthy:.










His India team-mates, Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir, are also in, with Alastair Cook, Kumar Sangakkara and Michael Clarke making up the rest of the batting. The bowlers include Morne Morkel, Steven Finn, Lasith Malinga and Saeed Ajmal, with Shahid Afridi filling the allrounder's spot. Shane Watson was named 12th man.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci-icc/content/current/story/582245.html

[wizzy]

ATG/Cook over Amla/Abdv..I need that green stuff ICC is smoking :-)

[VinodKumar's]

Amla and ABD are in test team. Still Amla should be included in ODI team. No Indian player in the test team :|. Cook has managed to be in both teams :lol2:. 5 South African players are in the test team :thumbsup:.

[Anban]

Mahi, the only reason to watch cricket for....birthday wishes

:roftl:

[VinodKumar's]

:smokesmirk:. Take that Delhi gang.

[ajaybaskar]

Not only Delhi gang.. There are many more gangs.

[MADDY]

it was very evident - only the 3 CSK players playing well.........i think its high time, board talks to delhi gang and pacify them by giving them one or 2 posts like t20 captaincy etc

[VinodKumar's]

My simple advice to delhi gang - stop thinking about ending Dhoni's career and start saving your career.

[VinodKumar's]

http://i48.tinypic.com/35l8f37.png

[VinodKumar's]

http://i49.tinypic.com/2dqio3o.jpg

[VinodKumar's]

http://i47.tinypic.com/2mnx5.jpg

[ajithfederer]

Conflict of Interests in Unimaginable Levels :bow:

MS Dhoni is VP of India Cements!! -- - Only in India possible.

[MADDY]

Dhoni, who recently resigned from Air India, is expected to play for his new employers in the BCCI Corporate Trophy which began today despite his earlier intention to take a break ahead of the important home series against Australia.......

its lragely a honorary role to allow him play for India cements in corporate league......but conflict of interest - yes due to Srinivasan.N's already existing conflict of interest as CSK president, BCCI president and India cements president......

[VinodKumar's]

http://p.imgci.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/154700/154792.jpg

[ajaybaskar]

Excellent counter attack. The last I remember is Viru's 80+ against Eng in Chennai 08. It changed the course of the game in a session.

[VinodKumar's]

Captaincy success 'overhyped' - Dhoni

http://www.espncricinfo.com/india-v-australia-2013/content/current/story/623557.html

[VinodKumar's]

Ajay , Thread title orae IPL vaasanai konjam India vasanai vara maari consider pannunga :) ..

[VinodKumar's]

https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/563444_600721513274813_1481956073_n.jpg

[ajaybaskar]

Kalyanthaane thread owner?

[littlemaster1982]

Ajay , Thread title orae IPL vaasanai konjam India vasanai vara maari consider pannunga :) ..


Kalyanthaane thread owner?

Please suggest a new title. I'll change it :)

[VinodKumar's]

Kalyanthaane thread owner?

oops ..eppdi unga peru therinjuthunu therla.

[ajaybaskar]

That's ok. Suggest a good title to LM. :)

[VinodKumar's]

How about

"The Successful Indian Captain #MSD" -- Ippothaiya acheivement ku yetha maari ;).

[ajaybaskar]

MS Dhoni has won 23 Test as captain, 7 v Australia, the most by an Indian captain against a particular team, beats Ganguly (6 win v Zim).

[VinodKumar's]

:clap: :clap: ... Ithu oru aarambam ah irrukanum :yes: ..

[19thmay]

I provide my tentative support provided he overcomes that 8-0 humiliation soon.

[ajaybaskar]

I liked the way he took all the blame for the 8-0 loss and guarded the so called big guns who failed big time. Yes, there were tactical blunders from his side but he has learnt his lessons and his captaincy was much better this series. He persisted with Vijay after his failure in Chennai and see what Vijay gave him in return. He also persisted with another player who has been the bunny of tweeples for quite some time now. That player has turned out to be the next best bowler after Ashwin.

The same media people/ex players who called for his head now want him to captain the side till 2019. I am quite sure that he will not take those words to head and just march his way to glory.

Make no mistake, after SRT this man will be the most influential player in the history of Indian cricket.

[scorpio]

Thambi AB - ungaL adhirshtamaana kaigaLaal apdiyE IPL 6 thread-ai seekiram start paNNavum :-)

Kamaan CSK :yes:

[ajaybaskar]

Sure sis. Kalakkiduvom.. :)

Planning to go to the stadium this time?

[ajaybaskar]

Where are those people who wanted his head after the 8-0 drubbing? Annan has now the most number of test wins with higher win percentage than Ganguly. And for those who ask for overseas wins, I have one question. Were the other captains ineffective in home conditions? For those who claim this is the weakest Aussie side, aren't we weak too? Apart from a few,we don't have anyone with a solid 3 years experience with the team. With this team we've got the best result against Aus in the history of Indian cricket. If you don't have the generosity to praise him, fair enuf. At least don't sling mud on him.

[sathya_1979]

Nice words by MSD abt Master

http://www.rediff.com/cricket/report/tendulkar-the-cricketer-of-the-century-book-dhoni/20130320.htm

[ajaybaskar]

India : No. 1 in ICC ODI rankings. No. 2 in ICC Test rankings. No. 3 in ICC T20 rankings.

[19thmay]

India : No. 1 in ICC ODI rankings. No. 2 in ICC Test rankings. No. 3 in ICC T20 rankings.

Though all teams are quite unstable in the recent times, I wish MSD and team to keep up this! :clap: What is our next series? Is it ODI, Champions Cup?

[ajaybaskar]

Champions Trophy.

[ajaybaskar]

After the champions trophy, there is a tri series in WI featuring the home team, Sri Lanka and India.

[VinodKumar's]

Master , thanks for title change. Go India and MSD. I wish to see # 1 in test ranking before he retire.

[VinodKumar's]

Oru palla kanum :noteeth:

http://www.espncricinfo.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/155900/155936.jpg

[VinodKumar's]

http://www.espncricinfo.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/155900/155937.jpg

[VinodKumar's]

http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/1911_524281694281306_602859588_n.png