Dhoni’s Captaincy: Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity

My previous blog regarding Dhoni being the best captain under trying circumstances received a lot comments on Dhoni’s lack of series wins outside the sub-continent.  Though the blog was not intended to analyze how good a captain Dhoni is, but the comments made me think about the captaincy.

Ganguly, former India captain, (whom I considered to be among the best captain from India, especially considering the fact how he took the team from the bottom level to the almost the top) has always said that “the captain is only as good as the team” and I firmly believe in this. Just think of the great captains likes of Steve Waugh, Mark Taylor, Ranatunga, Rick Ponting and so on. If these people where to lead a Kenyan side or a Nepal cricket team, how would have they fared?

What does a cricket captain do? He is the one who makes decision whether bat or bowl first, then choose the batting order. These two events may not be his individual choice but certainly has a grip on the calls. Then the most important aspect in cricket captaincy is to select/ change bowlers and to get the right field formation. So, basically there are 4 major tasks for a captain and these decisions may be strategic or instinctive decisions. In cricket most of the times the captain has to relay in instinctive decisions as very rarely do we see everything going according to plan. Had it been so, cricket would have never trilled us so far.

In the year 2007, T20 world cup finals, as Pakistan went into the last over needing 13 runs to win, with only 1 wicket remaining, Dhoni’s decided to go with Joginder Sharma (who was relatively new to team) to bowl the last over. Pakistan needed just 6 runs to win from the last four balls, Misbah attempted to hit the ball with a paddle-scoop over fine leg, but he only managed to sky the ball, and it was caught at short fine-leg by Sreesanth, leaving Pakistan all out for 152 runs.

In the year 2011, Cricket World Cup Final, India had a shaky start, with Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar both dismissed early by Lasith Malinga, leaving them at 31 for two chasing 275. Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir started the recovery with some fluent stroke play and quick running between wickets, taking India to 114 before Kohli was caught-and-bowled by Tillakaratne Dilshan for 35. Dhoni came in after Kohli to bat at number five, usually the position of Yuvraj Singh (who seemed to be in form of his life). In the end, Yuvraj Singh along with Dhoni took India to victory, and Dhoni sealed the match hitting a six off Nuwan Kulasekara. Dhoni finished on 91 not out from 79 deliveries.

In the year 2013, ICC Champions Trophy final, the match was reduced to 20 overs match. Chasing 130 in 20 overs, Eoin Morgan and Ravi Bopara were together, compiling a stand of 64 from 55 balls for the fifth wicket, England were in with a chance and had begun a charge to the line, with 59 required from the last six overs. This is when Dhoni gave the ball to Ishant Sharma, who until then has a very bad outing to bowl the 18^th over of the match. First he removed Morgan who fetched a slower to be caught by Ashwin at mid-wicket. Then he bowled a short one which was again gobbled by Ashwin standing at square leg this time.  From 110 for four, England slumped to 113 for eight losing four wickets in the addition of only three runs.  India clinched the ICC Champions Trophy, in its last edition, with a nerve-wracking five-run victory over hosts England giving Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the unique record of being the first captain to win three world titles.

Many believe that Dhoni was plain lucky to have won the 3 trophies. Luck also favors the brave. Dhoni was brave enough to give the ball to Joginder Sharma and to have a short fine leg, to promote himself above the man in form Yuvraj Singh, to give ball to Ishant Sharma, though was having a bad day. Dhoni reacted on his instincts when it came to changing the batting order, changing the bowler, changing the field placements and that is what is expected out of every captain. Dhoni calls have earned the right results for him.

Dhoni has a win ratio of 57% in ODIs, more than any India captain (atleast leading India in 20 ODIs).  Azharuddin and Ganguly come next with 54%. Dhoni has higher win ratio in Test Matches which is 52%, while Mohammad Azharuddin has 30% and Sourav Ganguly 43%.

Sourav Ganguly has lead India in 20 test series, out of which 11 have been outside India. 

India has won 2 against Bangladesh 1-0 and 2-0.

• Against Zimbabwe, drew 1-1 and lost 0-2
• Against Sri Lanka, lost 1-2
• Against South Africa, lost 0-1
• Against West Indies, lost 1-2
• Against England, drew 1-1,
• Against New Zealand, lost 0-2
• Against Australia, drew 1-1
• Against Pakistan, won 1-0

Sourav Ganguly has never won a series outside subcontinent, not even against West Indies, New Zealand or Zimbabwe. He has drawn series against Zimbabwe, England and Australia.

While Rahul Dravid has a series win against England & West Indies 1-0. Under his captaincy, Indian won it’s a test against South Africa in South Africa. And Anil Kumble led side has won a test match in Australia but lost the series 1-2.

Coming back to Dhoni, he has lost to England and Australia 0-4 and 0-3 respectively (in Australia, Virender Sehwag was the captain for one test match which India lost). He has won series against New Zealand 1-0, West Indies 1-0, and against South Africa dew series 1-1. Basically out the 19 series he has captain; he has had 3 bad series, two outside sub-continent and one in India against England.

Sourav Ganguly has won 11 test matches outside India out of 28 matched he captained, while Dhoni is second on the list with 5 out of 21.

Statistically, Dhoni is the best Captain of all the captains India has ever had. Comparing any two captains would not be fair as different era & managing different individuals possessed different kinds of challenges. Before Sourav Ganguly, Indian cricket team were poor travelers, it was he, who started us giving victories outside sub-continent. The mantle was carried forward by Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble. MS Dhoni has definitely changed around the shorter format of the game. I personally feel, he needs to be given time in Test cricket, he doesn’t have the luxury of Fab four and or quality spinner duo. But he is certainly building a team that has batting talent to face any opposition in any condition and a slow but improving bowling unit. Hope when Dhoni hang his boots: he would hand over the mantle to his successor from where he started. (He was the First India captain the reach Rank 1 test ranking)