Just when you think he is down and out, MS Dhoni finds a way to rise once again.
Advertisement
It is an understated characteristic of one the greatest cricketers that India has ever produced. For the longest time, the MS Dhoni story was about a boy fighting to earn an opportunity to live his dream.
As the boy morphed into an icon, the story progressed into one of a man tasked with leading a burgeoning super power right to the very top of the cricketing summit.
Today, Dhoni is an undisputed legend of the game. The most successful captain that India has ever had, MS Dhoni is once again facing a situation that needs him to rise up and prove everyone wrong.
Very few believed in the raw talent of the long haired boy from Jharkhand. Fewer still could have foreseen that Dhoni would lead his country in just three years after his international debut.
Traditionally, India never performed when people expected them to succeed at international events. The 1983 World Cup triumph, the 1985 World Championship of Cricket and the 2007 T20 World Cup wins were wonderful accidents that happened to Indian cricket.
Dhoni managed to overcome this incredible baggage, when he captained India to the 2011 World Cup triumph on home soil. And he did it again, in the 2013 Champions Trophy.
But in the last phase of his career, can Dhoni once again prove his doubters wrong?
Most people are divided on Dhoni’s role in the 2019 World Cup. His supporters say that Dhoni is still one of the best wicket-keepers in the country and his ODI record should warrant him a place in the side.
His critics say that Dhoni has not delivered consistently enough over the last few years to deserve an automatic place in the side. Keeping Dhoni in the team would delay the likes of Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson getting a crack at the international level.
In all honesty, no body would really get upset if Dhoni is picked for the mega event in two years time. He has hinted in the past that he would like to continue till 2019, and then may be hang up his boots.
And who would not want Dhoni to finish his career off with a six?
As a captain, Dhoni always preferred to give youth a chance over experienced stars. He would invest in youth even when the safe bet would be on the older heads. So would MS Dhoni the captain picked the current MS Dhoni for the 2019 World Cup?
