Despite criticism, Mahendra Singh Dhoni continues to play on his terms

MS Dhoni en route his 56 against WI on Thursday. Pic/AFP

Manchester: Love him or hate him, but you just cannot ignore him. That's Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who continues to play cricket on his own terms and in his own style. Reams have been written about him - good and bad, but he is affected by neither.

Dhoni was pilloried for his ultra-slow batting effort against Afghanistan in the previous game, including by Sachin Tendulkar. And when India were in a similar situation against West Indies at Old Trafford, Dhoni batted in the same vein. He did not change his track to please the detractors. Of course, he had a bit of luck going for him when he survived a stumping chance courtesy Shai Hope. Barring that, he was cool as and when the team required him to prop up the innings in the company of tailenders.

Proving critics wrong

It was another laboured batting effort by him which had social media agog instantly, criticising him for a slow scoring-rate and an epitaph had already started to be written on his career. But by the end of the match, he had proved everyone wrong. In the final over of the innings, refusing to take a single and lose strike, he struck two sixes and a four to give a massive boost to the Indian total. And then, defying his ageing body, he held a brilliant catch, diving to his right to dismiss a dangerous Carlos Brathwaite off the bowling of Jasprit Bumrah. That's Dhoni for you, his effort and unquestionable commitment for his team which are visible on the field of play. But he is even more valuable for his advice and inputs that he provides to the captain, the bowlers and of course the team management which are not always visible. His advice is respected and acted upon by skipper Virat Kohli, who has unabashedly admitted the value of Dhoni's presence and never shied away from praising him in public.

'MSD's experience works'

"When he has off-days, everybody starts talking. We [always] back him, and the best thing is when you need extra 15-20 runs in the end, he does that well. He knows how to bat with the tail. His experience, eight out of 10 times, works for us," Kohli said about Dhoni after the big win over the West Indies. "We have quite a few players who play instinctive cricket. He's one guy who sends out a message what the par score is, on a pitch. If he says 265 is a good score on a pitch, we don't aim for 300 and end up scoring 230. He's a legend for us, and hopefully he'll continue [in the same manner]," Kohli added.

There is no doubt that Dhoni is his own man and till he plays cricket at any level, he will always play in his own inimitable style and on his own terms.

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