Playing Tests the other way – the Mahi-way !!

M S Dhoni  , a super brand representing the new India , more so the small town India has been high on talking points throughout the decade long run of Dhoni-sm . The Indian skipper has been the strongest evidence of how believe and confidence , when hand in hand can reach for the pinnacles of glory .

It all began with a regular school team goal keeper asked to fill in for his school cricketing squad’s wicket keeper’s position . Little did the Coach knew , that this seemingly ordinary move of his was going to lead the birth of the most powerful sporting persona India has ever seen , little did he knew

that his move would awake the fore long sleepy small-towns of India , little did he knew that he was creating the greatest captain , leader Indian cricket has ever seen or will probably ever see .

M S faced all types of odds faced by any mundane small-town lad with a high ambition  , whether it be searching all quarters for proper practice grounds , equipment , or financial assistance . But all those hurdles did not stop him from making spectators spellbound of his hard hitting aggressive batting skills , he had turned into a local hero for the ruthless bashing he handed to every other bowler down the dusty lanes and grounds of Ranchi .

But as is the case with most small-town Indian struggle story , his cricketing career was bogged down with financial crisis his family was running through . So , for a brisk period he had to tick tickets at one of the departure terminals of Kharagpur railway station , as a TTE .

He eventually had his blow of luck when he was picked up in a talent search program conducted by BCCI , to fill up the huge gloves since Dravid had left keeping . His flamboyant style of batting caught every ones fantasy as did his long mane ( hair ) . It wasn’t long when Dhoni was tried out as one of the many probable for a wicket-keeping – batsmen for team India .

Some truly spectacular and solid performances saw Dhoni elevate in the selectors list and soon enough he made his debut for the whites .

Dhoni and Test has always been a sport experts enigma . Most thought a swashbuckling batsman as Dhoni was made it improbable to have a long run for India as a test cricketer . But , Dhoni being the incredibly talented performer that he is , has always shut all hiss and puffs with his game by equally strong performances , than be it the test century against a testing Pakistan squad , or a match saving

76* against seaming and swinging conditions against a charged up English attack , Dhoni proved his mettle to every stake holder of Indian Cricket .

He was not only a selfless team man , but was as sharp tactically as he was with the gloves and the blade . One of his biggest fans , the master blaster suggested him to be the perfect future of Indian cricket and true to the verdict of the cricketing God , Dhoni was out leading India in whites , few years later . It was though the biggest challenge he had faced , to lead a team comprising of veterans such as Sehwag , Sachin, Ganguly , Dravid , Laxman , Zaheer , etc . was no joke . And yet Dhoni passed the test with distinction , handling all those seniors with the respect they deserved and yet ensuring his say in the scheme of things . He led India to maiden test series wins overseas , as did he lead India to the apex of Test rankings . He maintained the team in the highest glory for an extended period , until 2010 when the fab four had began to wear down , and so had the team’s performance .

Then came the worst night mares , successive white washes at the hands of England and Australia , and recurring break downs of veterans compounded the problem . This was afresh challenge for Captain Cool , who not only maintained his composure through the wild patch , but sportingly took

up all blames for the team . He the masterminded the transition into searching a younger bunch who could match steps with the veterans . He nurtured blossoming talents , the likes of Kohli , Rohit , Rahane , Vijay , Pujara , Rayudu , Ashwin , Jadeja , Umesh , Varun , Shami , Mohit , Bhuvi , who are today the main stead of Indian cricket . It was under his protective cocoon , that the young India that has stood up today baked itself up , whilst Dhoni was saving them from the un-forgiving  and ever probing Indian media . He who had been once at the pinnacle of success by successive test wins home and abroad was now under constant probe .

But again , like it is with most captains , Dhoni the captain wasn’t only about Dhoni the skipper only , it had Dhoni the finisher , Dhoni the saviour ( batsmen ) , Dhoni the keeper , and even Dhoni  the bowler sometimes . Dhoni was the other term for un-orthodoxy in test cricket . Then be it bringing in shots that are not even far cousins of the traditional defence , cut , drive ; or his unique sense of stump work , he made test cricket more

excitement . If Dhoni is some where near the square , its eye-catchy and entertaining always . Whether it be standing in for long innings in seaming and swinging conditions with none of the traditional survival skills in his kitty , or breaking taboos of test cricket with his mysterious field placings , Dhoni was the hardest mind to read on field .

His calmness under pressure was something that most envied . While all run helter-schleter , he remained un-scuffled . Victory or loss , he was always the same smiling self . And what about the leg slip , his favourite position , he had the best cricketing brains scratching their heads in trying to emulate the reason behind . Dhoni was always mirrored as some one who is a no-fuss personality , always practical in his approach , some thing he has potrayed both in his life , on and off the field .

But as is with all success stories , the arc of victory was bound to inch downwards , which in case of Captain Cool was an ageing and wearing body and a tired brain . Constant pressure finally had his say on the maestro , when he decided to step down both from captaincy and the whites , soon following the conclusion of the MCG test ( 26-30 december , 2014 ) .

A bombshell had dropped out of the blue !!

Tributes and well wishes started dropping in as social networking networks went tizzy with the news . Fans were engrossed in sorrow and disbelief , and so was all of the cricketing fraternity , as Dhoni decided to march forward in life’s highway , the Mahi-way .