Captain Cool . .

This man has the charm, he exhorts those who look up to him, he enthralls those who confide in him, he holds responsibility for the hopes of a billion people, he rises to the occasions and of course, he is damn successful. Yes, he is M.S.D.

His journey from being a just another Ranchi town boy to Time magazines, list of 100 most influential people in the world has been a phenomenal one. Having led India to a victory, in the twenty20 world cup (2007), and the ICC world cup (2011), he has become the symbol of India’s cricketing renaissance. As the skipper of CSK, he is again proving, what he is capable of.

I have always been an ardent supporter of this man. I have wondered the patience and perseverance with which he leads the team on the field. In a nation like India, where your victories are exalted but your losses are censured, he has held his nerve in many a situation.

Every time this man shines or the team that he leads, wins a match, there are fervent claims dismissing his ability and attributing his performance either to sheer luck or team effort. I beg to differ. It is not by sheer luck, he has made true, the dream of a second world cup. It is not by sheer luck he has marshaled his side to the top spot in Test and ODI rankings. I can hear you arguing, that those were results of collective effort and an individual can not take credit of it. But it was Dhoni, who enabled the collective effort to materialize into a tangible result. He has fulfilled the dearth of a good keeper in the Indian team. He is intuitive, composed, committed and he makes the right decisions at the right time, and for that, he is due his credits.

I have always been awe struck and jubilant watching our little master. I have wondered, at the skill, precision, and craft with which Sachin bats. After seeing such a performance, I completely agree my man’s batting is no where even near to being compared to those of the demigods. MSD’s batting style is not classy, his foot work is poor and he plays unconventional helicopter shots. . .Yet he has delivered with the bat at times when it really mattered. I worship Sachin, but also, I adore Dhoni.

He is surely not the greatest of players in the Indian cricketing history, but he is the player that India needed to lead from the front. He is the player the team needed to group itself behind, and he has played his part with perfection. People may find my opinion biased or preconceived, they are always free to contradict. But I am proud of Mahi and I will always be. I will always rejoice at his success, I don’t mind if you call it his luck, because Fortune always Favours the Brave.