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The Mahi Way

Published

9 years ago

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The Mahi Way

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]MSD move surprising, but not unwelcome

By Prabir Biswas

“Mahi” (Mahendra Singh Dhoni), as he is affectionately and reverentially referred to by his colleagues in the team as well as the cricketing fraternity, took his critics, fans as well as the selectors by surprise last week.

The Ranchi lad—who had inspired a new generation of cricketers, heralded yet another “golden period” in India cricket’s history and shepherded teammates for long (nine years) to achieve laurels for themselves and the country—decided last week that enough was enough and it was time to make way for Virat Kohli to take over reins of all formats. Dhoni the captain’s era was over.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]His decision came in only days before he was to sit with the selectors and decide the Final 16 for the ensuing limited overs’ games against England. But “Captain Cool” was only following his script after what he had done in Australia in December 2014 by quitting as Test captain out of the blue in the middle of an ongoing series. The reasons are, of course, different.

Virat’s ascendancy as a “total” cricketer (both as a batsman and captain) was probably not lost on Dhoni—himself a keen observer of the game. Dhoni, who had himself persisted with the then promising-yet-struggling Virat in 2012 for the Test team against Australia, was convinced that it was now Virat’s turn to lead the team in all formats of the game. The Delhi batsman’s brilliant form and captaincy record ( 13 wins in 21 Tests) made it easy for him to take the decision. Virat in the recent past has established himself as a distinct leader of the pack and his clout, popularity and acceptability in the dressing room was too obvious to ignore. He was mentoring the team as Dhoni had done so after taking over as captain. It is being rightly said that Dhoni had realised that it was Virat’s team.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]The frequent “subtle” indications from officials that he should now hang his boots as a captain were perhaps too strong for Dhoni to ignore. The issue was informally “discussed” with chairman of selectors MSK Prasad a few days before the announcement came in. The man who could read the cricket pitch like his palms and make “fatal” bowling and fielding changes for the opposition, could not be wrong in his judgment on this count.

dhoni-_bcci-1Captaincy takes its toll on cricketers, more so if you are a wicket-keeper batsman. Being on the wrong side of 30s, Dhoni knew that the task would get tougher and tougher – although he has managed to retain his fitness levels and could still give any youngster in the Indian team a run for his money. That he has managed to don both the roles (captain and wicket-keeper batsman) commendably and with aplomb for so long is legendary and only a handful of players have done so in cricket. Farokh Engineer was one, but he held the captaincy for a short period. Kumara Sangakkara, Brendan McCullum and Andy Flower were others who succeeded in this difficult task.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Demands of captaincy (that too a winning captain) was casting its shadow on Dhoni’s exploits with the bat. The man who is considered in world cricket as the greatest finisher of the game (in shorter formats) wasn’t doing justice to his potential and record. Fault lines had started appearing on his performance. The “impregnable” and “he-could-do- no-wrong-with-the-bat” image was slowly but surely taking a beating. The ODI team under him had lost 11 and won 10 matches after the 2015 World Cup.

Keeping up his reputation as a swashbuckling batsman (that was what made him into a star before he was anointed captain) was perhaps occupying the mind of Dhoni. The same happened with Sunil Gavaskar in 1985; Sachin Tendulkar in 2000 and Rahul Dravid in 2007. With no captaincy encumbrances, Dhoni can now continue to chart his course ably as a top one-day batsman for the next few years of his playing career and claim a place in the team in World Cup 2019 in England. He has only resurrected his chances for the 2017 Champions Trophy, the 2019 50-over World Cup in England, and the 2020 T-20 World Cup in Australia.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]By quitting Tests as captain, Dhoni was only a senior player in the Test team under Virat, but an undisputed leader in other formats of the game. That probably would have been a tad “confusing” and not clutter-free for the new crop of players emerging in the Indian team. Moreover, India is not used to and “uncomfortable” having different captains for different versions of the game, a la Australia.

It is not an unseemly transition from Captain Cool to a cool customer with the bat. Best of luck to Mahi.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Gautam Gambhir faces backlash after India’s shock T20 series defeat against Ireland

Gautam Gambhir faced criticism from Iceland Cricket and Sanjay Manjrekar after India suffered a shock 0-2 T20 series defeat against Ireland.

Published

1 week ago

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June 29, 2026

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Gautam Gambhir

India head coach Gautam Gambhir has come under scrutiny following India’s surprising 0-2 defeat in the two-match T20I series against Ireland, with criticism emerging from both former cricketers and Iceland Cricket.

India suffered a 34-run defeat in the opening T20I before Ireland completed a historic series sweep by winning the second match as well. The result marked one of India’s most unexpected bilateral T20 series losses in recent years.

Soon after the series concluded, Iceland Cricket, known for its witty social media posts, took a swipe at Gambhir. In a post on social media, the account sarcastically remarked on Gambhir’s coaching methods following India’s disappointing performance. The comments quickly gained traction among cricket fans online.

Former India batter and commentator Sanjay Manjrekar also questioned some of the decisions taken by the team management during the Ireland tour. Manjrekar had earlier expressed disappointment over teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi not being included in the playing XI despite India’s struggles in the series. He termed the move as not being a “good cricketing call”.

The exclusion of Sooryavanshi became a major talking point during the series, particularly after India lost the first game. The 15-year-old remained on the bench for both matches despite widespread expectations of a possible debut.

The series defeat has intensified discussions around India’s team selection and tactical approach under Gambhir, with fans and experts debating the decisions taken during the tour.

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Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s India debut not certain as team balance takes precedence

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s much-anticipated India debut is not guaranteed, with team management prioritising balance and existing performers ahead of the Ireland T20Is.

Published

1 week ago

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June 26, 2026

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Vaibhav suryavanshi123

Teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has generated immense excitement ahead of India’s T20I series against Ireland, but a place in the playing XI is far from certain as team management weighs the importance of maintaining a settled combination.

The 15-year-old left-handed batter, who enjoyed a remarkable rise through domestic and franchise cricket, has been included in India’s T20I squad for the Ireland and England tours. However, fitting him into the starting XI presents a significant selection challenge.

Crowded top order creates selection headache

India already have several established opening options in the squad, including Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan. Bringing Sooryavanshi into the side would likely require dropping one of the current top-order batters, many of whom have already delivered strong performances for the national team.

Ahead of the Ireland series, India’s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak stressed that players who have been consistently performing should not be sidelined unfairly merely to accommodate new entrants. He added that competition for places is healthy and every player should wait for the appropriate opportunity.

The approach reflects head coach Gautam Gambhir’s emphasis on prioritising the team’s overall balance rather than making changes solely because of public demand or hype surrounding a player.

Sooryavanshi’s rapid rise continues

Despite uncertainty over his immediate debut, Sooryavanshi remains one of India’s brightest young prospects. The Bihar batter has impressed across age-group cricket, domestic competitions and the IPL, where his fearless strokeplay attracted widespread attention.

With India set to play a packed white-ball schedule, opportunities are expected to come for the youngster, even if he does not feature in the opening T20I against Ireland.

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Azmatullah Omarzai creates ODI six-hitting record during third match against India

Azmatullah Omarzai reached 50 ODI sixes in just 36 innings during the third ODI against India, joining Corey Anderson and Liam Livingstone on an elite list of power-hitters.

Published

2 weeks ago

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June 20, 2026

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Afghanistan all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai added another milestone to his growing international career by becoming one of the fastest batters to reach 50 sixes in One Day Internationals (ODIs) during the third ODI against India national cricket team. Omarzai achieved the feat with two maximums in the match, entering an elite list of power-hitters in ODI cricket.

Omarzai and captain Hashmatullah Shahidi stitched together a 105-run partnership to rebuild the innings after Afghanistan faced early setbacks. Omarzai’s innings came to an end after he played a crucial role in Afghanistan’s recovery.

Omarzai among fastest batters to 50 ODI sixes

With this achievement, Omarzai reached the 50-sixes mark in just 36 ODI innings. According to the record list, only Corey Anderson and Liam Livingstone got there faster, taking 32 and 34 innings respectively. Omarzai is now the joint third-fastest batter to reach 50 ODI sixes, sharing the position with Muhammad Waseem after both achieved the milestone in 36 innings.

Fastest to 50 ODI sixes (by innings):

  • Corey Anderson – 32 innings
  • Liam Livingstone – 34 innings
  • Azmatullah Omarzai – 36 innings
  • Muhammad Waseem – 36 innings
  • Shimron Hetmyer – 38 innings
  • Harry Brook – 38 innings

Notably, no Indian batter features among the top five fastest players to reach 50 ODI sixes.

Equals Shahidi’s record against India

Omarzai’s half-century also helped him match captain Hashmatullah Shahidi’s record for the most ODI fifties by an Afghanistan batter against India. Both players now have two ODI half-centuries against the Indian team.

The latest achievement further highlights Omarzai’s importance to Afghanistan’s ODI setup, where he has established himself as one of the team’s most impactful all-rounders in recent years.

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