MS Dhoni: The Man behind the Legend
Indian national icon and cricketing legend Mahendra Singh Dhoni announced his retirement from international cricket on 15th August 2020, leaving fans the world over wondering what might have been had he stayed to play the ICC World T20 World Cup (2021), a tournament which many believed would have been his swansong.
People from all walks of life can take inspiration and learn life lessons from this great man. As we celebrate a distinguished and legendary career let us have a look at the main personality traits of Dhoni, simple traits that made this man one of the greatest sporting legends in the world.
1. Emotional Intelligence and awareness (EQ/EI)
Dhoni is widely regarded as “Captain cool”, he is one of the calmest men on the pitch and has the ability to gauge and control his emotions and the emotions of those around him as well. His mental strength has helped him in handling fiery opposition players like the Australian’s and Pakistanis while also handling and getting the best out of his own team with characters like Sreesanth, Harbhajan Singh etc. Dhoni has the ability to look at any situation from different perspectives/ viewpoints and then take the best course of action to make the best of the situation. With Dhoni’s legendary temperament success was always a surety.
2. Commitment/ Passion
Dhoni’s passion for the game is second to none and this commitment has been instrumental in making him the legend he is today. Right from his childhood days and throughout his career he was always a student of the game and paid unwavering attention to his cause. The best example of Dhoni’s commitment can be seen from his career itself, by the way he runs between the wickets turning one run into two and two’s into threes. Even Dhoni’s greatest critics have to appreciate him on this point.
3. Knowledge/ Awareness
Dhoni’s match awareness and knowledge of the game are the stuff of legend. Be it with the bat or with the wicket keeping gloves, Dhoni has turned matches around in an instant with his towering sixes or lighting stumpings/ run-outs respectively. This game changing ability comes from the early years of amassing knowledge starting from his school teams level up to international cricket and his mental strength of always being aware to the ever changing situations on the field.
4. Creativity/ Ability and Versatility
Dhoni always had amazing talent and ability, along with this he also used his creativity to re-define keeping techniques with his innovative stumpings and run-outs. His innovative batting with the famous Helicopter shot and his unconventional style has inspired many youngsters the world over. Creativity was also seen in his captaincy with his tinkering of the batting order, bowling choices and field settings. Dhoni himself turning his arm over to bowl in a few games in the pursuit of creative ways to get opposition batsman out is a good example. Dhoni was never shy of expressing himself in the field.
5. Discipline, Focus and Clarity
Dhoni always had ability and talent but his discipline and clarity towards his goal of becoming a world champion cricketer ensured that he converted his potential into reality. The discipline to work towards his goal everyday for years and all the hard work in the gym & practice sessions behind the scenes are the hallmarks of his character. Without these traits the world would never have known the Dhoni we know today.
6. Winning Mentality
Whenever Dhoni stepped on the cricket pitch his singular focus was to win. This winning mentality has seen him clinch major honors like the World Cup (ODI & T20), ICC Champions Trophy, Test Championship, №1 rankings for the team in all formats of the game and a long list of individual honors as well. As a leader his winning mentality has been reflected in his team as well and he has been able to lead Indian cricket to great heights.
7. Lead by example/ leading from the front
One of the great traits of a leader is leading from the front. Alexander the Great used to always be at the front of his army to lead the charge. Similarly Dhoni has always led from the front with his bold decision making, destructive batting and slick keeping skills and by his pure force of character. Dhoni has “talked the talk” and “walked the walk” thus drawing both fear and respect from his players and opponents alike. He is without doubt one of the greatest Captain/ Leader the world of sport has ever seen.
8. Intuition and Courage
Dhoni has shown that he is better than the DRS with his uncanny knack for correct calls. He was a leader who backed his instincts and took bold but calculated risks with great courage. Asking Joginder Sharma to bowl the last over of the 2007 World Cup T20, Promoting himself ahead of an in form Yuvraj Singh in the 2011 ODI World cup final, taking innumerable games to the last over and winning them are some noteworthy instances across his career. Dhoni has always backed his ability and won.
9. Communication and feedback
Dhoni has always been a very communicative leader. Providing bowlers advise from behind the stumps to disciplining his players to advising his batting partners during important partnerships, Dhoni always clearly communicated his view points to the concerned parties. Current Indian team stars like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma among others have stated how Dhoni’s guidance has helped their careers. Clear, precise and concise communication has always been one of Dhoni’s greatest strengths.
10. Ability to see the Big Picture/ Visionary
The hallmark of a great leader is the ability to build for the future. Dhoni always backed and promoted youngsters as seen from the start of his captaincy in the 2007 from the World Cup T20 series onwards. Dhoni has left his legacy for Indian cricket in the form of players like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Jadeja to name a few. He has ensured that Indian cricket is in safe and capable hands.
Wish our national icon and legend, MS Dhoni a very happy and healthy retired life. Hope to see you in a new role as the coach of the Indian team sometime in the future.