• A Tale of Two Captains and their Historic T20 World Cup Wins for India - Tactical Play
    2024/06/30
    After a drought and wait of 17 long years, the T20 World Cup trophy is back in India with Rohit-Kohli and the Men in Blue finally managing to overcome their last hurdle without choking and succumbing to the pressure of expectations as had been happening with Team India since MSD and his troops laid their hands on the Champions Trophy in 2013. However, there has been a stark difference in the way a rookie Dhoni approached his T20 World Cup triumph of 2007 and how an almost veteran Rohit marshaled his troops to the ultimate victory. Let’s analyze the background contexts and the contrasting ways they scripted history in their own unique ways. First the pedigree comparisons, when Dhoni took the helm as the Captain of Team India in 2007, India was still dealing with and trying to come to terms with the crushing loss in the 2007’s ODI World Cup held in the West Indies under the leadership of Rahul Dravid, wherein, they bowed out of the tournament at the group stages itself. The Indian selectors; assured by Sachin Tendulkar’s correct judgment of Dhoni’s game sense and leadership potential ; brought Dhoni to the fore and entrusted him to lead India in the T20 World Cup held in September 2007. Thus, unlike Rohit, the firebrand Dhoni had no pressure of expectations on him and leading a team of rookies and some seasoned players from the front he created history and became MSD from just Dhoni. However, Rohit and Kohli, who took on the mantle of leadership from MSD as worthy and capable successors, had seemingly carried the burden of expectations in ICC tournaments and crumbled under that pressure, until now. Dhoni’s warrior-monk-like stoic temperament, Maverick approach to the game and nerves of steel, which could seemingly take any amount of pressure and still remain unfazed whatever be the occasion or situation, was unmatched and simply out of this world. However, the Rohit and Kohli-led team, after stumbling at the final frontier twice, in the 2023’s WTC and ODI World Cup finals, effectively demonstrated that they learnt the underlying common lesson and mastered it to ultimately hold their nerve and extract victory even from the jaws of an almost certain defeat in yesterday’s high-pressure & swinging final to bring the much-awaited joy to 1.4 billion Indians across the globe especially after the heartbreak of November 2023. Another key aspect of Dhoni’s approach to leadership and tactical play in 2007’s T20 WC was the instinctive & intuitive decision-making and almost a Maverickish approach to game play and resource deployment in-alignment with the situations. A former international coach even termed it as the ‘gambler’s streak’, however, personally, Maverick would be more appropriate in the context. The deployment of an untested Joginder Sharma to bowl the final over of an India-Pakistan World Cup final would almost be the ultimate gamble for any Indian Captain, with his neck, the world cup and almost the entire playing career at stake and on the line for the team. But he believed in his instincts & the ability to hold the nerve and took the call, in the interest of the team, as the situation demanded it as, according to him, the surface suited his kind of a bowler. It was akin to Rohit asking an untested Shivam Dube to bowl the final over against Killer Miller. That’s what made Dhoni into MSD! Further, without getting into any nitpicking and without taking any credit away; in yesterday’s final, Rohit seemed reactive and a little rigid in his tactical play albeit his usual brilliance. On a surface on which the spinners were not getting any kind of purchase at all from the outset; he chose to persist with his spinners who collectively bowled 9 overs from which they eventually conceded 109 runs which had almost brought Team India on to the verge of almost another defeat by the end of 15th over with South Africa needing just 30 runs of 30 balls with 6 wickets in hand. However, all's well that ends well. Kudos to Team India for Win.
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    5 分
  • Happy Birthday to the True Leader & Legend forever MSD!
    2023/07/07
    Messages reportedly have been simply flying in from all corners of the universe (including the aliens with signals received by NASA :) to wish the legend MSD on his 42nd birthday. Here's wishing the legend from our side: "May you Soar Forever, just like the unstoppable SR-71 Blackbird flying at Mach 3.2 at the very top of the stratosphere, continuing to give illumination & inspiration to everyone down below on Earth, as always, including, the ones yet to come." Stay blessed forever... Audio Credits: Indian Express' Audio Story covering the wishes coming MSD's way on his very special 7th day of the 7th month of the year...
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    1 分
  • "Will Follow him as a Soldier Knowing He can Never Send me on the Wrong Path" - Tushar Deshpande MSD
    2023/07/05
    After winning the IPL 2023 title, the first words which came from MSD in the dressing room to his comrades were, "hard work paid off but don't forget what we did right and what we did wrong as a lesson for the next season as shared by Shivam Dube and Tushar Deshpande in an interview given to the Indian Express. They both shared as to how MSD's intervention as the master tactician proved pivotal to a complete turnaround in their performances after the initial, wobbly starts they both had. It's almost like a case study in how MSD grooms young talent by constantly guiding and nudging them while also pointing out their mistakes & errors in the face publicly during the post match presentations. Such is the incredible connect and trust enjoyed by MSD over his subjects... Audio Credits: Audio story published originally by the Indian Express voiced by AI based on article by Devendra Pandey published on June 01, 2023 and available at https://www.google.com/amp/s/indianexpress.com/article/sports/cricket/what-did-ms-dhoni-tell-his-csk-team-mates-in-the-dressing-room-after-the-ipl-win-8638342/lite/ All rights reserved by the Indian Express for the story and the article. Also, now that Dhoni's birthday is just round the corner and given that all of us are seriously missing him, gift yourself a souvenir by grabbing a copy of the latest book on MSD, 'The M.S. Dhoni Way' available in paperback on Amazon at https://www.amazon.in/M-S-Dhoni-Way-Ladership-Masterclass/dp/B0C5XTR5V2
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    5 分
  • "When MSD Truly Honoured the Spirit of the Game"
    2023/07/05
    Amid the growing furore & uproar over Johnny Bairstow's unusual dismissal in the second Test of the ongoing Ashes series, an incident direct ly related to it comes to mind instantly, wherein, MSD honoured the spirit of the game while keeping the rulebook aside. It happened around twelve years ago in the India's tour of England in the year 2011. The incident involved former England batsman Ian Bell who was in the same situation as Bairstow now but he was then called back by the Indian captain MS Dhoni after the bizarre run out in the second Test of India’s England tour in 2011 and upon requests by the English captain Andrew Strauss and the coach Andy Flower. Also, the gentle voice insisting for & backing the decision to do so was none other than the legend Sachin Tendulkar himself. Audio credits: Indian Express' Audio news story piece voiced by AI. Based on a news article published on July 04, 2023 and available at https://indianexpress-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/indianexpress.com/article/sports/cricket/in-wake-of-bairstow-stumping-controversy-at-ashes-revisiting-when-ms-dhoni-showed-spirit-of-cricket-8713276/lite/?amp_gsa=1&_js_v=a9&usqp=mq331AQGsAEggAID#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&aoh=16884939676948&csi=0&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&share=https%3A%2F%2Findianexpress.com%2Farticle%2Fsports%2Fcricket%2Fin-wake-of-bairstow-stumping-controversy-at-ashes-revisiting-when-ms-dhoni-showed-spirit-of-cricket-8713276%2F All rights reserved by the Indian Express for the story and the article. Also, now that Dhoni's birthday is just round the corner and given that all of us are seriously missing him, gift yourself a souvenir by grabbing a copy of the latest book on MSD, 'The M.S. Dhoni Way' available in paperback on Amazon at https://www.amazon.in/M-S-Dhoni-Way-Ladership-Masterclass/dp/B0C5XTR5V2
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    2 分
  • "It'll be My Gift to Fans"- MSD
    2023/05/31
    The Yellow Army is ecstatic once again and the entire nation electrified as MSD and the CSK have brought their 5th IPL trophy back home to Chennai in a truly deserving manner while comprehensively outclassing GT in the rain affected final. However, the best part was MSD's assurance that he would be coming back next year for another season of IPL before bidding adieu and said the it will be his gift to his fans. Listen to what he said to Harsha Bhogle. Also, now that the IPL is over and all of us are already missing Dhoni, take out sone time to unravel the secrets of MSD's greatness as a leader for yourself by reading our latest book 'The M.S. Dhoni Way' available in paperback on Amazon at https://www.amazon.in/M-S-Dhoni-Way-Ladership-Masterclass/dp/B0C5XTR5V2
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    1 分
  • "Will Always be there for CSK & Fans" - MSD
    2023/05/24
    The roaring lions ultimately slayed the Titans in their own Den at Chepauk yesterday after having lost both their league games to them this season. MSD's astuteness in bowler rotation, field placements and overall tactical game control on home turf was hawkish and brilliant as usual and simply too much for GT as they were comprehensively outplayed in all departments of the game. MSD also indicated that he is gonna be around with CSK for a long time to come whether as a player or part of thinktank/support staff and so fans are gonna see him around. CSK are into the final and almost waiting eagerly to lay their hands on their 5th trophy under an unmatched and one of the greatest captain the game has ever seen... For unraveling the secrets of MSD's greatness as a leader, grab your copy of the latest, just released book on MSD's leadership on Amazon at the link below:- The M.S. Dhoni Way https://www.amazon.in/M-S-Dhoni-Way-Ladership-Masterclass/dp/B0C5XTR5V2
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    5 分
  • 'MSD's Blueprint for Building a Successful Team'
    2023/05/22
    MSD outlined his blueprint for building a successful team, when asked, after winning their final encounter against DC. Key elements of his blueprint include:- 1. Hiring great players with strong skillsets. 2. Deploying them effectively leveraging their strengths. 3. Coaching them on their improvement areas for further development. 4. Believing in them and making them believe in themselves. 5. Backing them through the Ups and Downs and see them perform and take the team to glory. That's the MSD Way! PS: Grab a copy of MSD's latest, just released Leadership book: The M.S. Dhoni Way on Amazon India - Available for Rs. 295 with 48 hours Prime delivery: https://www.amazon.in/dp/B0C5XTR5V2 For International readers: https://books2read.com/u/breX1W
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    3 分
  • 'Stronger with Whistle Support'
    2023/05/16
    The whistle support provided by the yellow army to the CSK team and its impact on the game is known very well. However, it was Thanksgiving time for MSD & Co to reciprocate their love and they did it in style. MSD & Co took a lap of honor after their last home game of IPL 2023 against KKR at Chepauk and gave gifts, jerseys and other memorabilia to the yellow army in a highly emotional & overwhelming moment. In case you missed watching it live check it out on Google or YouTube right now... Grab a copy of MSD's latest, just released Leadership book: The M.S. Dhoni Way on Amazon India - Available for Rs. 295 with 48 hours Prime delivery: https://www.amazon.in/dp/B0C5XTR5V2 For International readers: https://books2read.com/u/breX1W
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    2 分