Captain Cool M S DHONI : The Man With The Midas Touch

Outpour of emotions

The end of an era, a generation and an emotion. Mahi or the captain cool as fans admirably call him, bid adieu to the game of cricket on India’s 73rd Independence Day. Hailing from the small city of Ranchi, he went on to make it big. Although 231 players have played for India yet, he was a rare gem. I bet all of you must have said ‘Mahi sambhal lega na‘ or ‘Dhoni jab tak hai jeetega India hi‘. Such has been his aura that people got connected to him as a family member. We all have at least one magic moment which involves Dhoni. The 2007 T20 World cup, the 2011 ICC World Cup or the 2013 Champions trophy, Dhoni had all in his kitty.

Living the real life the reel way!

Apart from the staggering numbers and glittering trophies, Dhoni was something different. A person to whom all of us could relate to. Maybe it was his struggle, his risk-taking mentality or acquaintance with daunting situations. He was not just a player or a captain but way much more than that. The heartthrob of billions and an inspiration for generations to come. The journey from a ticket collector to India’s flamboyant captain! Oh my god! Seems pretty much like a fairy-tale, isn’t it? Well, Dhoni lived that dream and made others believe in his dream. The most special thing about the long hairy guy from Ranchi was that he was like a family member to all the Indians. Very humble to his fans and down to earth, Mahi is India’s celebrated son. We will surely miss his smile, the calmness and some shocking decisions on the field which made India World Champion!

Now, moving on from the monk personality of captain cool; we come to the match-winner. Those helicopter shots would no longer kiss the sky! Balls will miss going out of the park! Oh ! What a sad story it would be for the audience after all. Missing the blitzkrieg and fireworks from Mahendra De dana dan Dhoni! You know what guys, I think the phrase regarding ant should be reframed. It should be something like this- “even after getting out for a duck and having a miserable performance Dhoni went on to become India’s legend”. He has umpteen achievements to his name but the one that will remain etched is the 2011 triumph. Whoaaa! What a stupendous journey it has been for India’s talisman. Further, we will come across seven aspects about the captain cool!

A childhood full of struggle and pain – A bed of thorns

Dhoni was not born with a silver spoon in a mouth. Guess what, his father was a simple clerk. In the small town of Ranchi, he managed to scrape through. His early life was full of ups and downs. Well, I believe you must have already seen in Sushant’s starer movie. The most vital part to take out of this is the courage this young lad had in his initial days.

Striving hard and not giving up

He found it hard initially to play for big A teams in Ranji Trophy. Eventually, he settled for Railways with a job of ticket collector at Kharagpur railway station. Despite all the odds, he kept on grinding it out. This phase showed his meticulousness and perseverance towards the game.Such was the ardent passion that ultimately he made his debut for India A against Kenya. Things got better and brighter but a calamity was awaiting. Dhoni’s career threatened to capitulate even before it began. A nip in the bud seemed inevitable until dada arrived. Dhoni was involved in a horrific run-out and had a duck on his debut. With just 23 runs in first four matches, his career was in peril.

Dedication finally pays off – the beginning of Captain Cool’s era!

Uffff! Finally, Mahi got out of hot waters to score a magnificent 148 against arch-rivals Pakistan! I still remember, what a charged up innings it was. His batting technique which was severely criticised was now being stated as unique, such hypocrites exist! Since then, no turning around. Swashbuckling mode on, sending bowlers to all parts of the stadium, Mahi was delivering finally. After an apocalyptic 2007 world cup which saw India with worst ever finish, Dhoni was handed the captaincy. A young leader with brilliant knowledge of the game and a fearless mind. Such a nice combination, imagine someone of that stature. Hold on, folks! You can look out for Mahi as an example! His batting, on-field planning and every move, made India inch closer to become the universal boss. In 2010, India dethroned proteas to become the No.1 Test team in the World. The Natwest series, Kiwis victory and success down under, all came along the way. The Aussie dominance had ended and a new era of Indian cricket began. Folks! Not to forget his helicopter shot, shot to fame!

Mahi mar raha hai! 

At the zenith of his career

After a long wait, India was playing a world cup at home. The stage was set, fans rampant and media buzzing. Amidst all the hustle-bustle and chaos, surmount pressure piled up on Dhoni. Here is when he established himself as captain cool. An all-round team effort saw India surpass and outclass opponents. India got the better of Pakistan & Australia en route to the final. The ultimate showdown arrived on the night of 2nd April 2011. India’s big guns down. To the utmost surprise, the captain walked out to bat. Mahendra Phenomenal Dhoni blew away Lankans with 91 off 76 deliveries and guided India to one of their most anticipated silverware.

If 18 runs are needed of the last over, the pressure is on the bowler not M S Dhoni!

The Hiatus – The Dark Phase of Mahi’s era

After the World Cup victory, India slipped to annihilation in Australia and England. 8 consecutive defeats at the hands of others made critics open their mouth. His captaincy was questioned, meanwhile, he enjoyed IPL success with his franchisee CSK. The agony didn’t stop here, his team was alleged of spot-fixing. Media started doing what it does best, debasing the eminent. Dismal performances abroad further tarnished the records. Then came a big break, Champions Trophy, where he recreated 2007’s mojo. Laurels came his way, he established himself as the best finisher. His lighting stumpings got even faster. Acing last over chases like it’s a piece of cake for him, he mastered all the tricks. You name them, Mahi has done them ages ago! Despite the victories and memories, they were fading along with time.

A topsy-turvy ride with storms and a raging tempest

Captain cool finally stepped down as the leader of the pack in early 2017, after he quit red-ball cricket in late 2014. After this, I am afraid to say he was not an automatic choice. All the Mahi fans were shocked by BCCI’s statement and protested against. I bet, being a Dhoni fan, one had to listen to great criticism during those times. Snail’s pace and trophy seeker, what not? Pundits were writing him off. There was a sense of fear in the air, Mahi no more the same? Those lusty blows seemed to be a distant dream. His powers were on the wane, hey!! Hold on, I didn’t say it, experts did. MSD showed glimpses of his prowess with scintillating displays in the IPL. 2019 arrived amidst the hullabaloo and the World Cup started in England. Well, we all were set to bid the legend farewell in the Mecca of cricket – Lords. Sadly in a nerve-wracking semi-final, India needed him to deliver; Dhoni stood there like a rock. Jadeja and he stitched an almost match-winning partnership. A marvellous Guptill throw shattered a billion hopes and the entire nation shed tears.

Saying goodbye – The Mahi way

On 15th August 2020, Mahendra Singh Dhoni announced his departure from the game. His last dismissal showed how life comes to a full circle. Run-out on debut, and ending in a similar fashion on ending note. Dhoni left the game in the way he has been known for. Discreet and calm, he hates the glam-bam. One of the monks of cricket, an ambassador and a leader to look up to. Dhoni’s pedigree is an asset for the game, a true legend. For India, Dhoni was the patron to transform and change the landscape of Indian cricket. Huh, thanks for reading so long. But I have a question for you, did you notice the absence of numbers? I did it intentionally as numbers fall short in front of a man with such a legacy behind him. Cricket though is a game of numbers, but he was an exception, a rare gem. Once in a millenium player, his lineage will continue to cater the nation.Bewildering to imagine how come a single person carried billion people on his shoulders for so long!Actually, that explains it all about his brilliance and generosity.We will miss you Mahi 🙁

Watch the ICC tribute below as well!

Heartfelt

I, personally am a huge Dhoni fan. Watching him play and growing as a part of my personal experience. Similar to me, there are millions of young kids and children. I feel the childhood has officially come to an end after Mahi hangs boots. Also, the best part about this guy was his hunger for success and never give up attitude. All these ingredients made him the man who we all love and celebrate.He has inspired me when things went gloomy and dreadful.No wonder why we all find this majestic personality so charismatic and relatable.I wish he could have played longer,but every good thing has to end some day or the other. The more people write about the prodigy, the less it is! The above article is bereft of numbers and achievements as this man is much more than that. Also there have been numerous matches won single-handedly when it seemed impossible with his batting or stupendous brilliance of mind.. I haven’t mentioned those matches as all of them are my favourite.In case you want to check out his career profile you can go here.

Check out how Dhoni bid adieu to the game via his Instagram post here –

View this post on Instagram

Thanks a lot for ur love and support throughout.from 1929 hrs consider me as Retired

A post shared by M S Dhoni (@mahi7781) on Aug 15, 2020 at 7:01am PDT

Don’t forget to mention your favourite fan moment of Captain Cool! Enjoy some of his best innings here.

Leaving you with something that’ll give you goosebumps 

Dhoni finishes off in style. A magnificent strike into the crowd! India lift the World Cup after 28 years! And it’s an Indian captain who has been absolutely magnificent in the night of the final!