Perhaps no Indian cricketer has seen as much as Mahendra Singh Dhoni has. From suffering crushing defeats to scaling the pinnacle of the sport, the man has seen it all. In an 11-year-old career, Dhoni has captained India for nine years.
We look at what might have been had he not been given the captaincy reins back in 2007:
7. Seniors like Ganguly, Dravid and Harbhajan might have had longer careers
When MS Dhoni took over the reins in limited-overs cricket in 2007, he brought in a new strategy early on in his tenure where he backed youth even at the expense of the experienced players like Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid etc.
It was a decision that didn't please many, but Dhoni’s rationale was that the newer set of players emerging out of the system would have at least 80-100 ODIs of experience before the next World Cup came around in 2011.
Had those players not been axed at that time, they might have even had longer careers in ODIs.
A few years later, a similar policy of providing youth a chance was adopted in the case of Harbhajan Singh, who didn’t feature in many big ticket events, and the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin got opportunities to impress.
6. India might have never won the three biggest ICC events
It isn’t often that you come across a player who has achieved as much success as Dhoni has in limited-overs cricket. The 2007 World T20, 2011 World Cup and the 2013 Champions Trophy triumphs are a symbol of excellence in Dhoni’s career and will be spoken about even after he is done with the game.
The fact that he achieved two out of the three wins – the 2007 World T20 and 2013 Champions Trophy – with relatively inexperienced attacks is a testament to not just his captaincy skills, but also to his ability to make the best use of available resources.
India has had the likes of Mohammad Azharuddin, Sourav Ganguly etc, who did a fine job during their time as skippers. But none of them were as successful as Dhoni has been across different formats.
5. Suresh Raina might have led the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL
The result of the 2007 World T20 win was that Dhoni became the most sought-after leader in Indian cricket. In the IPL, it was the Chennai Super Kings who roped him as their leader. And he didn’t disappoint as he took them to several title triumphs.
Had he not been around, there could have been a possibility that Suresh Raina would have taken over the leadership role. It is difficult to imagine the ‘men-in-yellow’ achieving as much success under Raina as they did while they were led by their talisman from Ranchi.
4. Jadeja and Ashwin may not have had prolific careers
Right now, both Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin are flourishing under the leadership of Virat Kohli in Test cricket. But both players began their journey in the international game under Dhoni, who provided them with the opportunities at the highest level.
Jadeja was not considered to be a utility cricketer at the start of his career but Dhoni backed him to the hilt. Ashwin was known as someone who experimented a lot at the start of his career, but Dhoni retained him even when the off-spinner was carted around occasionally.
If there is one legacy that Dhoni will leave when he does quit cricket, it would be that he gave his fellow players a long enough rope to prove themselves. Like in the seniors’ case, it was a decision that didn’t please all, but outside perspective didn’t matter much for Dhoni.
3. Press conferences would not have been as much fun
If there is one aspect of Dhoni that is enjoyed by many, it is the quirky quotes that he unleashes in post-match press conferences. Whether it is comparing Sreesanth’s batting to Don Bradman or comparing the tail-enders of India to that of the opposition with cosmetic surgery and PETA, Dhoni has always had a witty take on many a serious topic. And needless to say, his comments have left all observers in splits.
It is almost impossible to picture any other captain dealing with tough questions in the light-hearted manner in which Dhoni does.
2. Yuvraj Singh might have become the Indian captain
At the time when Dhoni was picked for the top job, Yuvraj Singh was the real poster boy of the team, thanks to his sensational performances in limited overs cricket. During the 2005-06 season, he enjoyed a golden run with the bat, scoring runs aplenty against the formidable South Africa, Pakistan, England and West Indies, among others. He seemed in line to take over the mantle from Rahul Dravid.
However, that didn’t turn out to be the case and it was Dhoni who was picked for the job in 2007. The rest, as they say, is history.
1. We might have never seen a movie on his life
Had Dhoni not achieved as much as he did, we might have never seen the possibility of a blockbuster being made on his life. In a captaincy career spanning nine years, he has seen almost everything – from stunning victories to crushing defeats.
Hopefully, when he does finish his tenure in limited-overs cricket, he will go out on a high.
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