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Game On

Perpetual fall guy

What a man can do with and without his team’s support can be easily seated in Dhoni’s current plan of action for the team in just-concluded series against the underdogs (Bangladesh). When he had support from the administration and the team members, he made us the world champions in all formats. Once the interest was lost in him by the players, he could not face Bangladesh fiercely as he is renowned to face such teams and that is by demolishing the opponent through his mind games.    

Man takes India to the crowns
 Introduced to the team as a <g data-gr-id="87">wicket keeper</g> cum batsman by former captain Sourav Ganguly, brought an end to the search of an explosive middle order expertise. After Rahul Dravid relinquished the post in the year 2007, and eventually, ascended to the full-time captaincy later, after Anil Kumble’s retirement, he is believed to be the most successful captain to lead the Indian cricket team, by far. 

He brought the newly introduced T20 World Cup home in 2007, when he was handed over with a team, who for the first time appeared in a tournament without any superior experience in their squad or even on the bench. He showed his impeccable leadership qualities by taking a youth lined-up team all the way to the finals against their arch enemy Pakistan and eventually clinched the first ever World cup in this format. Later he was responsible in bringing an end to a 28 year wait by the Indian fans for the infamous Cricket World Cup, which last ditched the Caribbean side to come to India under the leadership of Kapil Dev in 1983. He later yielded the team to an honour of being called the Champions of the World in 2013, only second of its kind in the Indian Cricket history.

Judged Unfairly? 
His life has always been on a subsequent rise with unprecedented success under his name. It feels a bit harsh to ask if he wants to step down from captaincy and play as a regular player. A player with his stature should fairly be given adequate time to realise his retirement time and not being constantly asked to do so. How calm-headed he feels on the pitch is demonstrated by him during his post-match interview when before even being asked, he comments, “I am really enjoying my cricket... if it is justifiable that if you remove me (as captain) then the Indian cricket will start doing well, and if I am the reason for all the bad that’s happening to Indian cricket, definitely I would love to step away and play as a player.”

A day down the line, Bishan Singh Bedi, <g data-gr-id="79">ex left</g> arm medium pacer, left a remark on Dhoni’s comment by saying, “Dhoni is no longer the captain cool of the team.” The statement would have served him <g data-gr-id="78">better,</g> if only in the last ODI against Bangladesh, team India would have returned home whitewashed by the underdogs with Dhoni not playing an exceptional match winning innings. Sadly, Captain Cool kept his cool and came <g data-gr-id="75">in to</g> play at number four, before the regular player Suresh Raina in that position to guide the team through the hurdle of being two down on the <g data-gr-id="76">score board</g> with Shikhar Dhawan beside him.

Something goes wrong?
A leader cannot lead a team to victory until he has been accepted by the team members as a Captain of the team and have the required support whenever he needs it.

He has been supported widely by his team members, especially R Ashwin by quoting, “If my Captain asks me to die on the field, I’ll do it”.

Further elaborating himself, he says <g data-gr-id="96">that,</g> “a team should be backing up his captain under any situation, as he is been assigned and chosen by the players within the team. A series loss is not his individual failure but of the team’s, as the team was unable to perform to it’s best. Later, players standing up for their Captain, witnessed its gang number to go down by one in the name of Virat Kohli. After India lost the series to Bangladesh, frustrated Kohli opened up to the media by saying, “Not happy with the way we played. We have been sort of doubtful in our decision-making and that showed on the field. I don’t have to say it in an interview that our guys are not sure enough to express themselves. In the first two games, we failed to express ourselves with the clarity of mind”. It depicts the lack of confidence of him in his Captain and the unusual environment for the players in the dressing room.

Misses former friend 
Dhoni has always mentioned his former coach, Duncan Fletcher as his best companion throughout his journey with the Indian Cricket team.

With his tenure reaching its end and the fact that the new coach, Ravi Shastri has always favoured Kohli over him, could have triggered <g data-gr-id="73">disruption</g> in his relationship with his teammates. It gives a feasible explanation for his modest confrontation in front of the media about his views on, whether or not, he should drop down as a Captain of the Indian Cricket team.

People in line of support
Beleaguered Dhoni has been backed up on this by the two legendary Captains of the Indian team, Sunil Gavaskar and Saurav Ganguly. According to the little master, it’s too soon for people to ask Dhoni to retire from his captaincy as he believes he still has a lot to offer to the team. Being forced to drop down from the post and eventually putting an end to the career is quite familiar to Sourav Ganguly because he has gone through something similar to Dhoni’s condition. So, the ex Captain, demands time and respect to be offered to Mahi, in order to put an end to the further speculations regarding his capability of making decent decisions on the field. Administration and the captain are always in direct proportion in order to manage and sustain a winning streak in International Cricket. 

Due to variation in administrative personnel’s behaviour, within the dressing room with the player, could have been different for Dhoni, compared to his time with Fletcher. Even according to his coach, Chanchal Bhattacharjee, Dhoni is unable to improve the environment of the dressing room, due to which he is facing concentration problems during the game. “The dressing room atmosphere is worrying him. He is not able to concentrate on the game.”     

GUTS, explain him perfectly
This exemplary player, who dedicated his life in order to serve this nation, should have the confidence of his people in him as he has brought joy in their lives by taking this country, in cricket, to a level of being once reported invincible. When he led the side to the finals of the 2014 World T20, he then took us to the semi-finals of the 2015 World Cup. All this effort to take the nation to its next glory, he should be paid off by the people by allowing him to decide his own future in the team, as homage.

If a man can hit a six in the finals to put an end to the thirst of a World Cup prolonged for 28 years, if a man can bring Praveen Kumar to bowl the final over in order to win the tournament played for the first time, if a man can put Ishaan Sharma back on the spell to bring the honour of being called as the Champions of the World, then, he can easily be taken as an intellect person for the welfare of the team, in future. All this he did under immense pressure and what ultimately was referred to, as his calm headed decision, was only a gamble worked out in the favour of the nation. Since he was unable to make it work against Bangladesh and lost the series, does not make him incompetent to be a Captain. A man bold enough to voluntarily quit test cricket at the prime time of his carrier, can easily decide if he is in a need to step down from the cricketing stage.     

Something goes wrong

We have been doubtful in our decision-making and that shows on the field. Experts can see guys not sure enough to express themselves- <div style="display: inline !important;">Virat Kohli.
<div style="display: inline !important;">
<div style="display: inline !important;">
If my Captain asks me to die on the field, <g data-gr-id="152"><g data-gr-id="153">i</g>’ll</g> do it- Ravichandran Ashwin.

Even barging into that bowler was very unbecoming of Dhoni. Perhaps dire need for him to go through yogic exercises- Bishan Singh Bedi.

The dressing room atmosphere is worrying him, he is not able to concentrate on the game- Chanchal Bhattacharjee.

He deserves respect and recognition for it and it should be up to him whether he feels up for the job, whether he has the enthusiasm- Sunil Gavaskar.

He was upset after the defeat. Everybody has to sit together and think. Don’t put Dhoni down, he has a terrific record in one <g data-gr-id="258">days</g>- Saurav Ganguly.
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