Dhoni's unique style is what has made him successful

India and Chennai Super Kings skipper M S Dhoni never did and that's why he is the star that he is today

India and Chennai Super Kings skipper M S Dhoni never did and that's why he is the star that he is today

Mahendra Singh Dhoni's performance as captain/player for India and Chennai Super Kings could pose this question to a cricket buff: How can someone be so good at whatever he does?

Effective: M S Dhoni executes shots such as the reverse sweep with consummate ease and has the ability to demolish any attack

Well, I can attempt to answer that question having seen Dhoni as an India 'A' player in 2004. My mind goes back to that year in Bangalore where the India 'A' side (for which I was coach) were preparing to tour Zimbabwe and Kenya. Geoff Boycott, who was doing some work with the National Cricket Academy boys, India coach John Wright and myself watched Dhoni arrive in the nets and bat away.

Impressive
My first impression of him was that there was something different about this player. Maybe it had something to do with his hairstyle, his technique or something else. Meanwhile, Boycott had a look at him and wondered how could this guy play for India someday. It was typical of him. Next day, India 'A' played a game against an under-19 team put together by Chandrakant Pandit and Dhoni scored an impressive 30. I remember telling him after that brief knock that no matter what, he shouldn't change his style.

We went on the tour and Dhoni never changed. He mixed around well; organised outings and sang at all our parties. He is a pretty good singer but most of all, he got people together through his simple ways.

Meanwhile, he also gave a lot of thought to his cricket and you didn't need to be a genius to see that this guy had all the qualities of a future star.

He was as cool on the field as he is now. The fact he has not changed in his approach to the game and his interaction with teammates could well be the secret behind this great success.

Dhoni could be very similar to Ashok Mankad in leadership style especially off the field. Ashok ensured all members of the Mumbai team were kept cheerful despite all the on-field pressure and that's why he ended up as one of the most successful leaders in Mumbai cricket.

Dhoni has the 1970s and 1980s style of captaincy which is uplifting for a team.u00a0

Last night in Centurion, Dhoni was terrific with his batting and captaincy. Yes, he appears to have a magic wand but there is that thinking head above his shoulders. His move to let Suresh Raina bowl the second last over when Kings XI Punjab had a destroyer like Yuvraj Singh at the crease was a gutsy one.

And then, L Balaji came in and bowled a super last over. Thursday's match at Centurion will be a memorable one thanks to Dhoni's captaincy.

Remember, he batted splendidly too. Matthew Hayden scored 89 but the captain's unbeaten 56 was invaluable.
If Dhoni is combative on the field and expects the best from his teammates, he also sets high standards for himself. Far too many bowlers have suffered due to his determination.

I remember Syed Kirmani, then chairman of selectors, calling me on that 2004 Kenya trip and asking me whom would I recommend as wicketkeeper for the senior team Dhoni or Dinesh Karthik, both of whom were on that tour. I suggested Karthik.

I informed Karthik that I had recommended his name. I didn't want to take any credit for doing that because Karthik was performing better at that point in time so it was only fair to give the national selection committee the right feedback.

The next thing I did was to invite Dhoni to my room at the Monomatapa Hotel in Harare and explained why I had opted for Karthik and he was understandably disappointed.

Point to prove
On the Kenya leg of the tour he scored two hundreds against Pakistan 'A'. Maybe, he had a point to prove to meu2026 I will never know. But at the end of the day, India 'A' won that triangular.

Dhoni's just five years old in international cricket, but I won't be surprised if he goes on to become an all-time great captain.u00a0 Where Chennai Super Kings are concerned, they look all set to erase the disappointment of being last year's losing finalists in the Indian Premier League.