Mohammad Kaif hails MS Dhoni as the most intelligent captain he has ever seen

What’s the story?

Former Indian international Mohammad Kaif hailed MS Dhoni’s leadership abilities and urged the 35-year-old to carry on playing for India despite stepping down as skipper of the Indian side in the limited-overs formats of the game. In his column for Cricket Talkies, Kaif also shed light on Dhoni’s nature of the cricket field and recalled his scintillating knock of 148 against arch-rivals Pakistan that ascended Dhoni to instant fame in just his 5^th ODI for India.

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Dhoni had an ODI debut to forget as he was dismissed run out after facing only one ball as Kaif, who was batting at the other end send back Dhoni after initially calling him for a single. The unhappy beginning didn’t stop Dhoni however from becoming one of the best finishers the ODI format has ever seen and he is not yet finished as a player.

The heart of the matter

Kaif reflected on Dhoni’s nature as an introvert who liked to speak less but also someone who was decisive with his captaincy. He hailed the Jharkhand cricketer as the sharpest cricket brain he has ever seen and is certain that he has a lot left to offer with the bat.

“His calculations on the field were 10/10. From his unorthodox field placements to his unusual bowling changes to planning his run chases down, he had all the angles covered,” Kaif said. “But what makes him a leader par excellence is how he mastered the art of administering from a Sachin Tendulkar to a Yuvraj Singh and mentoring the likes of a Hardik Pandya.”

Kaif also revisited the day at Vizag where Dhoni smashed the Pakistani bowlers to all parts of the ground and expressed hope that the Indian cricket fans will once again get to see that hard-hitting batsman in Dhoni as he has less pressure on his shoulders now.

What next?

As expected, Kohli was named as Dhoni’s successor in the ODI and T20 format and his first test will be against England in the three-match ODI series which begins on January 15. It will be interesting to see where Dhoni comes out to bat and more importantly, what style he adopts in his approach.

Sportskeeda’s take

Dhoni will be more at ease now that he has given up captaincy in the shorter formats of the game and we should see a more carefree and aggressive approach from the 35-year-old in the coming months. It will also be interesting to see how he handles playing under the captaincy of Virat Kohli, who will bring an altogether different approach to captaincy on the field.