MS Dhoni turns 36: Five lessons other cricket captains can learn from him

#4 Backing the youngsters

Dhoni played a big part in shaping Jadeja’s career

A standout quality in Dhoni the captain was his faith in youngsters, something that transformed Indian cricket over the years. His biggies and finishes aside, MSD needs to be thanked the most for the revolution he brought to the team.

He stuck to the unpopular calls he made without any fear. He ensured that the young guns proved their mettle amidst the emotional attachment towards the seniors. From Rohit Sharma to Ravindra Jadeja, Suresh Raina to Ravichandran Ashwin and even Virat Kohli, Dhoni played his part in the evolvement of all of these players.

He dropped experienced players to back the youngsters, something that became controversial but over the years, paid rich dividends.