Indian Cricket: MS Dhoni pens deal, overpowers Sachin Tendulkar

Indian Cricket: MS Dhoni pens deal, overpowers Sachin Tendulkar

It is unarguable in the circumstance of today in Indian Cricket to compare MS Dhoni to Sachin Tendulkar in terms of popularity in the Indian masses. Mahendra Singh Dhoni overpowered Sachin as the highest paid Indian Sportsman as he signed a $42 million deal with Rhiti Sports Management. The money here is perhaps irrelevant to the concerns of the typical Indian Cricket fan. This is not to say that the Indian cricket fan does not care what a player does off the field, of course he does.

There is a charm about MS Dhoni that is reminiscent of Steve Waugh

Still the money is not as important as the status MS Dhoni has achieved in Indian Cricket today. The boy from Ranchi has had a fairy tale life so far, he became the be all and end all of Indian Cricket from being nothing. MS Dhoni married his school sweet-heart Sakshi Rawat away from all media surveillance and became an icon in the eyes of almost everybody – from elite critics in English media to the common urban man to the hero of small town kids. MS Dhoni has truly become what Sachin was in the latter half of the 90’s and the initial part of the 21st century.

It is interesting that MS Dhoni has equaled Sachin in popularity when Sachin is at the peak of his career in terms of performance. His recent double century and herds of match winning performances in the recent past have not hindered Dhoni and his sky soaring popularity.

There is no doubt that Dhoni is far behind Sachin in achievements on the field but it can be said so only in comparison to Sachin. So, why is Dhoni such a big phenomenon?

In Dhoni India as a whole finds its best representation. An ambassador not just for the game but for the country.

Many would attribute his success and icon status to the “midas touch” – a phrase used with Dhoni more than anybody else. Perhaps by the end of his career we will rephrase it to “Dhoni touch”. Mahendra Singh Dhoni is a very calculated man in his ways and his composure is exhibited in his post match presentation comments. He is a radical and yet a very politically correct person. He can defy the media from time to time but yet be their sweet-heart. May it be his press-conference where he came out with whole team after reports of a rift with Sehwag, or his secretive wedding – Dhoni has drawn the line where he wished.

Many of the critics of this new team have blasted their arrogant attitude, their behaviour on and off the field and their being poor ambassadors of the game. They feel that the Dravid’s and the Tendulkar’s were more dignified on the pitch. To me, Mahendra Singh Dhoni is the most elegant man on the pitch in terms of behaviour. He exults on victory and is dignified in defeat.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni – Captain Team India

There is a saying which might be appropriate in this context, “Everybody salutes the rising sun”. To me, Dhoni is no more a rising, he is at the pinnacle and I doubt if he will ever come down.