When we talk about the best cricket captain ever produced by India, one name will always buzz and it is Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the man who brought India laurels from around the world.
Did BCCI selectors force Dhoni to quit captaincy?
Dhoni made his international debut for India against Bangladesh in a one-day international in 2004. Next year, he played his first Test against Sri Lanka and followed it up with the debut in T20I against South Africa in 2006. The dashing wicket-keeper-batsman from Ranchi became the captain of the T20 side in 2007 and led India to win the first-ever World Cup in the shortest format held in South Africa that year. By the end of next year, Dhoni became the skipper in all three formats of the game. At a time when some of the country's stalwarts were still shining bright, the rise of 20-something Dhoni as the skipper was indeed a big feat.
Former India captain and the current coach, Anil Kumble, from whom Dhoni had taken over the Test captaincy, commended the way the latter had handled the senior members in the team.
When captain Dhoni had asked Ganguly to lead the side in his final Test
The giants of Indian cricket like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and others were still around when Dhoni took over and the latter's cool approach helped him get the best out of them all. Who will forget Dhoni's gesture of asking another great captain Sourav Ganguly to lead the team towards the end of his final Test against Australia in Nagpur in 2008?
Dhoni was a different captain from many of his predecessors. He had his own effective style, which helped India win some big titles. Dhoni has won all the 'ICC World' titles, like the Champions Trophy in 2013 and 50-over World Cup in 2015 besides of course the championship in 2007. Such results reflect him as one of the greatest cricket captain India has seen.
"He (Dhoni) won the World T20 and in the one-day format in Australia, for the first time, in a triangular series. From 2007 to 2017...ten years as captain is phenomenal. It goes to show the capabilities of MS as a leader and also what he has been able to achieve during the transition phase and also when the seniors left," The Times of India quoted Kumble, who also hung up his boots after that 2008 series as like Ganguly, as saying.
"It is not easy coming into the team as captain and having so many senior players. He managed them really well. He not just got the best out of them but also got the best for the team," said India's most successful bowler.
