"कल और आएंगे नग़मों की,
खिलती कलियाँ चुनने वाले|
मुझसे बेहतर कहने वाले,
तुमसे बेहतर सुनने वाले|
कल कोई मुझको याद करे,
क्यूँ कोई मुझको याद करे,
मसरूफ़ ज़माना मेरे लिये,
क्यूँ वक़्त अपना बरबाद करे|
मैं पल दो पल का शायर हूँ||"
My love affair with cricket revolved around Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his style of play was what drew me into the game and made me like the sport.
It was 2006 or 2007, I'm certain it was before the 2007 ODI World Cup. I don't know exactly which match it was, since I didn't like watching cricket before that, but the Indian team had won that day. My father and I were watching a quiz show of Mandira Bedi and she asked this question, "Who was the Man of the Match in today's match?". My father had a great interest in cricket. He was a regular in the playing XI of his village's cricket team. So as sure as I was that he would know the answer to this question, I asked him for the answer to that question. And he replied, "Dhoni dho daala!" in a tone he would go on to use many years later to tell all our neighbours that I had scored a 10 CGPA in my board exam. He sounded so excited and pleased. And I don't know how and why but those words somehow cast a spell on me. It intrigued me to know who this guy is that has made my father a fan of his game already.
Soon came the World Cup 2007 and I don't have fond memories of that because of obvious reasons. The Indian team had to suffer a knockout in the league stage itself and the Indian fans, passionate and dedicated they are for the game, took to the streets to show their anger against the team's performance. I remember watching on the news people storming the under construction house of MS and bringing down the pillars and walls, burning his effigy and showing their anger against other Indian players as well.
In no time, we had another world cup, second in that year, but this was the T20 World Cup, the inaugural season of the new developed format of the game and MS was to lead the Indian team. And I'm sure you can't blame me for falling for Dhoni's game now. He did something very unexpected that year, he won us the World Cup. I knew very little about many cricketers then but he was one I could connect with. And after I came to know he's also from Jharkhand, which is my home state as well, I knew I had to follow his game. Then within 5-6 months of winning the T20 World Cup, he made us the champions in the Commonwealth Bank traingular series in Australia, a feat no other Indian team had managed before that. And right after that, India witnessed the IPL. And since Dhoni joined CSK, I had to become a fan of CSK, a decision I would be proud of forever.
The rest is what we all know very well. We all know about his exemplary performance as a captain, as a reliable finisher in the team, as a leader who trusted his players and was willing to take the blame in the bad times and was ready to let the team have it all in times of success.
I have seen many people love Dhoni's game but at the same time I've seen many hate him and accuse him for many a reasons. People have blamed him for the retirement of Sourav, Sehwag, Gambhir, Yuvraj and many others. He has been accused of not giving these players the treatment or send-off they deserved. He has been called selfish for coming lower down the order and staying not out only to try and improve his average. He's been accused for many of his slow innings, for many occasions where he couldn't take the team over the line.
I don't know whether he deserved so much of hate, especially when we saw the Captain of the Indian team refusing to go see his new born daughter in between the 2015 World Cup because he was on a national duty that time, as he had told to the media in a press conference. I remember Dhoni taking the team over the line in the 2007 T20 World Cup where Pakistan were the favourites especially in the last few overs. I remember his team successfully defend a very small total in the 2013 Champions Trophy final. I remember him winning so many close matches for us. I remember him continuing to play Yuvraj Singh even though he wasn't in the best of his forms in the 2008 CB series. I remember him trusting Jadeja early in his career, the results of which are very pleasing for every Indian fan now. I remember his famous World Cup winning six. I remember him dedicate the 2011 World Cup to Sachin. I remember him letting Sourav lead the team in the final few moments of his cricketing career.
I don't think it's wrong to criticize or talk about a player when he's not performing well, because he's supposed to do well. So I've always agreed with some of his criticisms at some stages. But he certainly doesn't deserve so much of the hate he gets from so many people. As a servant to the Indian Cricket team, he always tried to do the best he could, and it was always visible in his game.
And i know I'll miss seeing him in international cricket now. The whole of the world will miss him. The only silver lining here is the hope of him coming to the commentary box someday. He might or might not do that, but that's okay. Only he knows what's best for him and the people around him. And he'll soon be seen playing in yellow for CSK, something all his fans look forward to in anticipation now.
Lastly, thank you for all the memories, Captain! Thank you for being a great role model for me and many others.
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