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In Indian cricket, Mahendra Singh Dhoni is one of the most successful captains. Under his captaincy tenure, Team India created some exceptional memories. But he was more than a captain for the players. His leadership skills helped many players throughout their careers. Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh reveals more about MS Dhoni’s leadership, highlighting how Dhoni supported Shardul Thakur during a challenging period in his career.
Harbhajan Singh on Dhoni’s Incredible Leadership:
In Indian cricket, MS Dhoni is a living legend. There is no doubt about that. After 28 years, Team India lifted the prestigious ODI World Cup Trophy in 2011. Even before that, MS Dhoni led the team that lifted the T20 World Cup trophy in 2007. Even in 2013, he lifted the Champions Trophy. He shines in the IPL buy making CSK champions five times.
But he was undoubtedly a player’s captain. Under his guidance, a lot of cricketers shaped their careers. Recently, Harbhajan Singh revealed a secret about Captain Cool. Harbhajan Singh shared a story from his time with CSK, where Shardul Thakur was struggling against SunRisers Hyderabad. When Harbhajan asked MS Dhoni why he wasn’t stepping in, Dhoni explained that constantly advising Thakur wouldn’t be beneficial in the long term. Instead, he believed allowing Thakur to handle it himself would foster growth and resilience.
The former Indian spinner said, “I remember a game we were playing for CSK. I was fielding at the short fine leg and MS Dhoni was keeping. Shardul Thakur was bowling and the first ball, Kane Williamson hit him down the ground for a boundary. Next ball, same length and Williamson played the same shot. I went to MS and asked him to tell Shardul to try and bowl different length,”
Later he added, “MS said to me, ‘Paaji agar aaj bataunga na, yeh kabhi nahi seekhega (If I will tell him now, then he will never learn). Let him learn by himself.’ His thought process was that when Shardul will get hit for boundaries, he will learn it quickly. That was MS Dhoni’s way.”
Putting Team Over Individuals:
Harbhajan Singh was with CSK from 2018 to 2020. He played frequently in his first two seasons but did not feature at all in 2020 and was subsequently released. Additionally, Harbhajan has played under MS Dhoni’s captaincy for India across different formats.
Harbhajan Singh highlighted MS Dhoni’s natural leadership qualities, noting that Dhoni’s attributes and philosophies have significantly contributed to CSK’s success. He said, “”He is very calm, which is a huge deal. Secondly, he is very clear what he wants. And third, his own ability to win games reflects on the team as well.”
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Later he added, “These are three very important things Dhoni does. Also, he ensures a great team environment is maintained. No one is treated like a biggie or a kid at the same time. What he has done matters. He is always prioritised team goals over individuals. I think that’s what made CSK a special team.”
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