5 things that might not have happened in Indian cricket were it not for MS Dhoni

#4 India might not have become the incredible fielding side they are today

Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar opened for India in the 2011 World Cup

Immediately after winning the 2011 World Cup in spectacular fashion at home, MS Dhoni declared that India had to now look towards the future and plan for the next edition of cricket's biggest tournament. This claim was met with appreciation, because not many realised that this meant 'rotating' the seniors in the team - Tendulkar, Sehwag, and Gautam Gambhir.

The trio had played all games in the World Cup but now found themselves on the bench for some games as a result of one of the boldest calls by a captain in cricket history, considering the stature of these legends. However, MS Dhoni's process that started in the CB Series in Australia in 2012 has proven to be a masterstroke.

Players like Ravindra Jadeja, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, and Virat Kohli raised the standards of Indian fielding that had been distinctly sub-par until then, changing the culture within the team permanently. Even today, incredible fielders like Manish Pandey, Hardik Pandya, and Shreyas Iyer man the ropes, vindicating MS Dhoni's courageous decision.

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#3 The rise of the Ashwin-Jadeja duo might not have been as rapid without MS Dhoni

Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja have become two of India's greatest Test spinners

Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja formed the backbone of India's tenure at the top of the Test rankings from 2016 to 2020. Both bowlers were in the top 10 of the Test bowling rankings throughout, even peaking with a 1-2 at the top.

This productive partnership might not have realised itself without the guidance of MS Dhoni, who captained them both in the IPL as a part of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Although India have had quality spinners waiting in the wings, the performances of Ashwin and Jadeja simply cannot be matched.

In Test cricket, the off-spinner has claimed 365 wickets in just 71 matches, while the left-arm spinner has tallied 213 wickets in 49 games. The duo perfectly complement each other in this alliance, with Ashwin's guile and flight accompanied by Jadeja's laser-sharp accuracy and consistency.