Published: Jun 22, 2013, 09:45 AM (IST)
Edited: Aug 23, 2014, 09:30 PM (IST)
Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s cool-headed and fearless approach had invariably changed the fortunes of Indian cricket © Getty Images
By Nishad Pai Vaidya
The ICC Champions Trophy 2013 is yet another tourney where Mahendra Singh Dhoni has defied the odds with his captaincy. Be it the ICC World T20 2007, the Commonwealth Bank series 2008 or the 2011 World Cup, Dhoni’s exemplary leadership has helped India taste successes at the world stage.
Prior to Dhoni’s arrival at the helm, India had a tendency to falter in tournament finals. Sourav Ganguly had built this successful one-day unit in the early 2000s, which had more punch when compared to the Indian teams of yesteryear. However, on the big stage, they failed to produce their best and all the good work of making it to a final was wasted at the pivotal moment. It was a jinx they failed to break during his captaincy and one that continued to haunt them.
Since Ganguly took over captaincy in March 2000, India have featured in 25 finals of one-day tournaments. Of those 25, they have won a meagre six. If you narrow that figure down further, one would see that five of those six victories have come under Dhoni’s leadership. Ganguly’s only success was the 2002 NatWest series final, where Mohammad Kaif’s heroics sealed a miraculous victory. Before 2007 – the year where Dhoni took over, India had played 16 finals (Dravid captained in two and Ganguly was at the helm in others) and lost 12 of them – three of which has no result. Ganguly had done a splendid job in building the Indian side, but Dhoni came in and gave the finishing touches.
The victory at the World T20 2007 heralded a new era for Indian cricket as Dhoni’s young brigade stormed the world. It may have only been a victory in the shortest format, but it was a major psychological boost for Indian cricket. In many ways they shed the mental baggage they carried into tournament finals and believed that they could cross the last hurdle. Dhoni’s cool-headed and fearless approach had invariably changed the fortunes of Indian cricket.
That confidence then spilled into the one-day arena as India won the tri-series Down Under in 2008. Subsequently, there were a few bumps in the road, but that did not affect the team in the long run. It didn’t become a psychological barrier whenever they qualified into a final as they were upbeat and confident about their game. Winning the Asia Cup in 2010 and the all-important World Cup in 2011 were ample evidence that India had now unmistakably set foot in a new era.
As a leader, Dhoni has absorbed the pressure and not let it affect the side. In the face of the toughest of situations, he is an oasis of calm; he doesn’t get bogged down by the ebb and flow of the game. For example, even when Misbah-ul-Haq was smashing his way around the Indian bowling in the 2007 World T20 final, Dhoni was calm and backed his team to seal the deal. Then on the big day in 2011, he took matters in his own hands by promoting himself to tackle a tricky situation. That is what has rubbed off on the team.
Fast forward to the present day, India’s approach the ICC Champions Trophy 2013 final at the back of two difficult years. Since the end of the last World Cup, India have had a torrid time and Dhoni’s leadership has received a lot of flak. Perhaps, this is the time he turns things around by leading this team to another crowning glory. It is a confident Indian unit that has looked authoritative with the bat and electric on the field of play. Interestingly, their last six tournament finals have been against Sri Lanka. This time, they face England — a team that demolished their pride on their last visit.
After the disastrous tour of England in 2011, a victory over the home team in a championship final may not only ease the pain of those painful memories but advance the 30th anniversary celebrations of India’s World Cup win in England on June 25, 1983.
(Nishad Pai Vaidya is a Correspondent with cricketcountry.com and anchor for the site’s YouTube Channel. His Twitter handle is @nishad_44)
