“To get all of them together after the gap is remarkable,” Sunil Gavaskar on what makes MS Dhoni stand out from the rest
He talked about the time when CSK and the Rajasthan Royals faced a two-year ban (2016 and 2017) due to the infamous fixing scandal in 2013.
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MS Dhoni; Sunil Gavaskar
MS Dhoni, undoubtedly, is the most successful captain of India. It is under him that the Men in Blue lifted all the ICC trophies (T20 World Cup in 2007, ODI World Cup in 2011, and the Champions Trophy in 2013), plus topped the Test rankings for 18 months. He has also led the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to four titles in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2010, 2011, 2018, and 2021.
The ‘Captain Cool’ is known for his sharp mind and cool demeanor under tight situations, which have several times turned the tables to the delight of the watchers. Youngsters see him as a role model, and several cricketers continue sharing tales about the advice and help Dhoni used to give them which guided them in their careers.
The latest was Virat Kohli, who opened up about how Dhoni approached him in the former’s lean-patch phase. Certainly one can’t argue that Indian cricket reached heights under the Ranchi-born cricketer.
Related: Fans call Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma ‘best couple’ at Indian Sports Honours 2023
Sunil Gavaskar recalls CSK’s ban and comeback to praise MS Dhoni
The legendary Sunil Gavaskar also praised the 41-year-old for his leadership skills, though it is not the first time he did. He talked about the time when CSK and the Rajasthan Royals (RR) faced a two-year ban (2016 and 2017) due to the infamous fixing scandal in 2013. Dhoni and other players were roped in by different franchises.
Dhoni captained the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiants (RPS) in 2016 and played for the franchise in 2017 as well, though Steve Smith was made the captain, and the team also reached the final that year.
When the ban was finally lifted in 2018, Dhoni again joined the Yellow-based franchise and led them to the third title. Gavaskar talked about how, despite the two-year gap, Dhoni remarkably got the team together.
“I think when CSK returned and won the IPL trophy, it was absolutely amazing because the team had not been together for two years and they had moved out with different franchises and suddenly they come back again. That tells you about leadership,” Gavaskar said on Star Sports Network.
“That tells you how the man could get a team together again after that gap. Sometimes you know, first year, second year there is a team spirit that happens but to get all of them together after the gap is remarkable,” the 1983 World Cup winner added.
Meanwhile, the wicketkeeper-batter will be leading CSK again, maybe for the final time, in this season’s IPL. CSK will lock horns with defending champions Gujarat Titans on March 31 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad to kick-start their campaign.
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Gouri Das
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