Another last over finish and Dhoni fails to do it again. It was the fourth instance in a T20 game when Dhoni remained N.O. and India failed to win. There will be a lot of debate about Does Dhoni want all the spotlight by himself? Otherwise, why won't you trust some batsman who has made 2 fifties in two games he was given chance in the ODI series. Is it over-confidence or too much self-belief? In cricket, there is a very thin line between bravery and foolishness. Dhoni loves to see the fear in the eyes of the bowler when he runs to deliver the ball in the final over. He has done it a lot of times in ODI cricket. But, In T20, his highest is still 48*, Not a single fifty in 50 games he has played for India. In tests, He is even worse.
Sometimes back in the past, I used to think Is MS Dhoni really the gifted one? He controlled the game like he has programmed it himself. Only He can find its bugs and for how much time it will run. Talking about test cricket, He is one of the most unimpressive captains in overseas test India ever got. He thinks test cricket on a different level than other greats. He gives easy singles. He waits for the batsmen to make mistakes. He frustates them by putting 7 fielders on leg side and bowling on middle and leg. He wants opposition to throw their wickets. These things are okay in limited over cricket, but In Test cricket, He gets exposed so badly.
There have been some magic incidents which make us believe that He is not ordinary. Take examples of Joginder sharma bowling the last over in 2007 T20 WC, Ishant Sharma over in ICC champions Trophy final, Ishant sharma again in Lord's test, A mid off and long off both for Pollard in 2011 IPL final etc. But Sometimes we got to look on the dark sides too. India have not won a single overseas test since ages. Only one win out of infinite chances given in last four years. He doesn't take it seriously. He smiles after defeat in press conferences. He always gains positives from the series. He has countless number of excuses. He has his own ways of explaining things. When India won the ODI series, it only showed how bad England are in this format. FYI: Sri Lanka recently beat England both in Test and ODI series.
India have never been a great team overseas. Even when it had greats like Sachin, Sourav, Dravid, Sehwag etc. in it. We never had quality bowlers like other teams do. I still remember when India needed 87 in 15 overs, He shook hands rather than going for win against West Indies as India were leading in the series. I can't imagine a single captain in the world who hates 2-0 victory more than 1-0. Exception: MS Dhoni. He may be a great captain in limited over cricket, IPL, T20, but he is nowhere close to great ones in test cricket. He believes in filling the gaps in the team. He fills all rounders. He picks batsmen who can bowl, bowlers who can bat. This may work in ODI and T20, but not in test cricket. Stuary Binny: I could never get any idea what was he ? A bowler, a batsman, a timekiller, a game saver, a confidence booster to others who want to play test cricket?
Dhoni has won all the titles possible in world cricket. IPL, CL, World cup both 50 and 20 overs, ICC champions trophy. This was unachievable by a single person before he arrived. He has some good tactics. He reads the limited cricket so well that he makes the opposition bend before him. But, in test cricket, I have hardly found him attacking. He unnecessarily puts leg slip everytime a spinner bowls. He hardly scores tons in tests. In limited overs, even if you make a mistake, it gets over by the end of day. But in tests, they haunt you. You are asked questions during your sleep. It continues for five days. Test cricket is no joke. It reflects how hard you have worked, where you are progressing as a unit. Even if one mistake is exposed in your team, you will continue to lose till you fill that void.
Yesterday, I saw his press conference. MS Dhoni calls it a good tour. He does not mind losing test series by 1-3. All the cricket world is laughing.
Sometimes back in the past, I used to think Is MS Dhoni really the gifted one? He controlled the game like he has programmed it himself. Only He can find its bugs and for how much time it will run. Talking about test cricket, He is one of the most unimpressive captains in overseas test India ever got. He thinks test cricket on a different level than other greats. He gives easy singles. He waits for the batsmen to make mistakes. He frustates them by putting 7 fielders on leg side and bowling on middle and leg. He wants opposition to throw their wickets. These things are okay in limited over cricket, but In Test cricket, He gets exposed so badly.
There have been some magic incidents which make us believe that He is not ordinary. Take examples of Joginder sharma bowling the last over in 2007 T20 WC, Ishant Sharma over in ICC champions Trophy final, Ishant sharma again in Lord's test, A mid off and long off both for Pollard in 2011 IPL final etc. But Sometimes we got to look on the dark sides too. India have not won a single overseas test since ages. Only one win out of infinite chances given in last four years. He doesn't take it seriously. He smiles after defeat in press conferences. He always gains positives from the series. He has countless number of excuses. He has his own ways of explaining things. When India won the ODI series, it only showed how bad England are in this format. FYI: Sri Lanka recently beat England both in Test and ODI series.
India have never been a great team overseas. Even when it had greats like Sachin, Sourav, Dravid, Sehwag etc. in it. We never had quality bowlers like other teams do. I still remember when India needed 87 in 15 overs, He shook hands rather than going for win against West Indies as India were leading in the series. I can't imagine a single captain in the world who hates 2-0 victory more than 1-0. Exception: MS Dhoni. He may be a great captain in limited over cricket, IPL, T20, but he is nowhere close to great ones in test cricket. He believes in filling the gaps in the team. He fills all rounders. He picks batsmen who can bowl, bowlers who can bat. This may work in ODI and T20, but not in test cricket. Stuary Binny: I could never get any idea what was he ? A bowler, a batsman, a timekiller, a game saver, a confidence booster to others who want to play test cricket?
Dhoni has won all the titles possible in world cricket. IPL, CL, World cup both 50 and 20 overs, ICC champions trophy. This was unachievable by a single person before he arrived. He has some good tactics. He reads the limited cricket so well that he makes the opposition bend before him. But, in test cricket, I have hardly found him attacking. He unnecessarily puts leg slip everytime a spinner bowls. He hardly scores tons in tests. In limited overs, even if you make a mistake, it gets over by the end of day. But in tests, they haunt you. You are asked questions during your sleep. It continues for five days. Test cricket is no joke. It reflects how hard you have worked, where you are progressing as a unit. Even if one mistake is exposed in your team, you will continue to lose till you fill that void.
Yesterday, I saw his press conference. MS Dhoni calls it a good tour. He does not mind losing test series by 1-3. All the cricket world is laughing.
