(Another Note i had written on FB before, once India emerged victorious!)
1) Forgetting the final team composition before the opening game of a world cup! "One other guy won't play" - India captain MS Dhoni is momentarily stumped while naming his team after the toss in the opening World Cup game against Bangladesh (the missing player was Ashish Nehra)- source CRICINFO
2) Openly declaring to the other teams that our biggest weakness was our fielding, hence inviting the challenge of other teams exploiting our fielders during the games! " You may put hybrid fuel in the car but the cylinder, the engine, everything, needs to be like that." M S Dhoni's reply to whether India needs a fielding coach- source CRICINFO
3) Not only had the guts to pick Piyush Chawla in the squad , but play him against South Africa after the debacles Piyush faced against England and Ireland! MSD had the guts to back himself up against the wishes of a billion and that seriously requires guts!
4) Openly criticized the Indian team's batting after the game against South Africa targetting players who played irresponsibly during the batting power play - incidentally this caused our only defeat in the CWC2011....to South Africa! "You don't play for the crowd, you play for the country " MS Dhoni holds nothing back in his criticism of India's collapse in the batting Powerplay against South Africa in Nagpur- source CRICINFO
5) Once again ... MSD survived the post match trauma and pressure after letting Piyush play and bowling Nehra in the last over in the match against the Proteas!
6) Had faith in USELESS/YUSUF Pathan and Piyush for most of the tournament, but when it mattered the most, he had the mentality to accept his mistakes and rectified it by playing S.Raina and R.Ashwin in the most crucial games! The result speaks for itself!
7) MSD built a team that inherited his sense of calmness and cool attitude. India had the hardest path leading to the final against Sri Lanka with a quarter final against Australia and a semi Final against Pakistan. But all our MSD had to say was " Till the full stop doesn't come the sentence is not complete" - MS Dhoni metaphorically implies that the success of India's World Cup campaign hinges on the result of the final-source CRICINFO
8) By putting his faith in Yuvraj Singh even through the hardest phases, Dhoni unleashed India's greatest cricketing talent since the Little Master in the World Cup. Yuvi's form with the bat and bowl was the crucial link that gave the perfect balance to our side. Technically MSD followed the 7 batsman + 4 bowler theory....but he had prepared his team so brilliantly that we never looked a bowler short!
9)M.S.Dhoni said this about Sreesanth before the final " The only person who can control Sreesanth is Sreesanth. It is beyond my control and I don't think too much about.". Yet MSD took a shocker of a decision to play Sreesanth in the final . It nearly cost us the World Cup. But Dhoni was cool....realized his mistake and made amends by juggling the bowling resources, fielding positions and of course, batting brilliantly! Also Dhoni shocked a billion by backing Nehra to play in the Semi Final against Pakistan instead of the nation's favourite Ashwin! His gamble paid off, but his humility was such that he acknowledged in the post match conference that he was wrong in reading the wicket!
10) AND LAST BUT NOT THE LEAST! M.S.Dhoni will remain a legend for the way he lead from the front on April 2nd 2011, getting India the World Cup after 28 years. Right from the inception of the game, MSD maintained his composure even after losing a controversial toss to Sanga. His attacking field positions were a treat to watch. His timely bowling changes were often bamboozling to the opposition. His dare devil Never-say-die attitude had infused into the blood of our team to such an extent that even at 31/2 , chasing 274 in a World Cup Final, Gauti and Kohli played positively to set the stage for a contest.And Mainly MSD's outstanding innings of 91* , peaking at the most perfect juncture in the history of Indian Cricket! His attitude of facing challenges head on, and soaking the team's pressure enabled him to play an innings of a lifetime. FINALLY, Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar, the greatest cricketer ever, a man who had achieved every other accolade in the game other than a world cup medal....completed his illustrious career's only missing piece...thanks to MAHINDER SINGH DHONI!
MAHINDER SINGH Dhoni!Your methods work well, and you are truly INdia's greatest captain of all time....Commence the celebrations and the preparations for building the team for CWC 2015. Cause nothing will hurt the Australians more than India winning a World Cup in their own Backyard! M.S.DHONI....Take a bow....You are the new icon of Indian Cricket...a true Legend.... India loves you...and INdia is proud of you!
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