There is so much the world knows about
Dhoni, this will be so little to write about –
I bunked my Chemistry practicals on a
certain rainy morning in September of 2007. The reason for it, made it worth
the miss. In retrospect, it was a day to remember to witness something bigger
than my act.
Indian Cricket Team had won the maiden
Twenty -20 World Cup and had arrived at the Mumbai Airport. The team was
supposed to reach Churchgate via road on an open roof double-decker bus. And I, hoped to reach Wankhede before the
team made it. I somehow made it in lieu of bunking the college. From the Vinoo
Mankad Gate as the players started to walk to the dressing room, myself at a
comfortable position could see each of one them pass by. Some exhibited their
glory as they strutted past me from a distance of about 4 feet. Some appeared
cheerful as walked without any pride – Dinesh Karthik was one those.
And at the end, someone without any bit of
care in the air appeared and walked past with a smile as I looked at him in the
eyes. Calm, composed, cool as a ice cube – Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
He didn’t seem to be so called captain of
the world reigning cricket team. Neither did he appear to be representing one
of the biggest sport played in India. No tantrums; neither façade, nor overt
display of emotions. Among all the fanfare, he still appeared to be the person
he wanted to be – the quint-essential finisher India has ever produced; the one
who knew what his job was and did it very well.
If we go back to the era when India didn’t
have a recognizable wicket-keeper who could also bat well when required,
competing with Ridley Jacobs, Adam Gilchrist or Mark Boucher was distant
indescribable dream. It were those times when Rahul Dravid, so the India
cricket fanatics would admit, was being over-worked for his cricketing duties –
of being a rock solid defence at number 3 plus keeping wickets. Then, all of a
sudden Saurav Chandidas Ganguly legendarily emphasized for selecting someone
from the East Zone who sported long flowing hair and was known to hit sixes.
Thus, MS Dhoni announced his arrival against Pakistan in 2005 at Vizag, for the
world to sit up and take notice.
As cricket fans we were relieved for the
search of dependable wicket keeper batsman, never did we know that there was
much in store. From being the captain across all three cricketing formats,
Dhoni brought some things – unmatched in style and unseen anytime before. If we
can exaggerate this to a limit to infinity; he had started to show that he kind
of had a Midas touch. The cricketing acumen that he possessed was by far the
best the world had seen. He displayed that his understanding quotient of the
game was better than the opposition which at times outsmarted the best teams in
the world.
Dhoni was still a human like all us.
However, he showcased complete calmness on the field. His emotion free demeanor
is what probably made him take a defeat or loss in the same stride. This was
something which wasn’t seen into generation of cricketers before except a few.
He made it look so effortlessly easy.
The act of hitting big sixes we must
confess wasn’t something we hadn’t witnessed before. The Pataudis, or the Salim
Durranis had pioneered it much much before. The thing that separated Dhoni from
the lot was his ability to innovate. He popularized the ‘helicopter shot’ as
they called it, and took it to the next level. He may be accused of taking the
matches towards the very end at times, however his approach of completing the
formalities with huge shots compensated all that. If Michael Bevan was someone
with a reputation to finish games, Dhoni made sure that he finishes off in
style and plays his shots which flew like a tracer bullet.
The Cricket Pundits may argue that he
wasn’t the one the best technically correct batting persons, however they
wouldn’t refuse to admit that he was the best in terms of running between the
wickets. In 2019 World Cup game, he converted the 2’s into 3’s with Virat, and
had shown the world that even this can be done. Well, this was certainly beyond
normal comprehension. As a wicket keeper, he immortalized something which was a
concept, to keep hands very close to the stumps for collection of the ball.
Earlier this way of wicket-keeping was known to have done by the likes of
Farooq Engineer. Dhoni got it back in fashion and made it trending for other to
follow. Not to forget, this was most likely the very reason of the lightning
fast stumping dismissals that he made appear - so stylish.
‘Carpe Diem’ they say, that is to seize the
moment. Dhoni just personified it for all us. His exhibitions and histrionics
on field were too heroic to even be described. One of those moments
romanticized the happy ending of 2011 world cup for every cricket fan and made
it a moment for a lifetime. Sunny Gavaskar once said, “He would want to see
that six by Dhoni, before he bids good-bye to the world”. This explains it.
In India, everyone has their share of
controversies which could be described endlessly on the usual evening tea with
Marie Biscuits or on the Banarasi Pan Stall at the end of every street. Dhoni
has had his too which couldn’t be forgotten. However, that should be kept for
some other day.
Amidst the decorated career, if there is
one situation that Dhoni could rewind and replay in his life it would that
final run-out that happened at 1929 hours. Interestingly, his first one day
innings was also a run-out; but for a duck. Some moments never do come back.
That’s how life is.
If we can remember Dhoni today let’s do it
for his ONE thing. If at all, there is one quality that Dhoni has surpassed to
the next batch of cricketers is the ceaseless confidence. He gave a renovated
dream to the hinterlands and smaller towns of India that they could conquer the
world and he has shown them how as well – with pose and grace.
We may miss his typical 2 or 3 bat
rotations before taking the unassuming confident stance. We could miss the
quick running between the wickets. We shall definitely miss the sixes. The
whole of Jharkhand shall miss, “Mahi maar raha hai”. And, India would miss the
captain cool who patrolled the field positions from behind the wickets. Some
day we had to. And some day we do realize, that day is this.
There is a lot of void in the heart of fans
as they realize these are big shoes to fill. Some wicket keeper batsman would
have to fill. This time the benchmarks have been set high.
May be for some time we would miss and
remember these times whenever the Pal Do Pal ka Shayar song plays on our music
players. That would remind us of the poetic end of the momentary ‘shayar’, as he
called himself – thorough the song on his Instagram handle.
May be after a few seasons of the IPL we
shall get on with habit of not seeing MS. May be it would difficult for us in
the beginning of that phase of not having him in the playing eleven in blue. We
would put on that habit eventually with time; maybe.
