Pressure of being MS Dhoni


The Indian team has just left for England for the biggest gameshow of this year — the Twenty20 World Cup.

The baggage, as we all know, is much bigger than the one Dhoni’s men may be picking up from the conveyor belt at Heathrow.

For one, there are these great expectations which come with the unadulterated strain of pulling you down. As a leader of champions, Dhoni has much to defend — and that includes his midas touch thus far, the forward winning streak of his team, the defending of the title and the T20 trophy, to name just a few.

Barely out of Africa, and without reaching the finals of the Indian Premier League, MSD could have it either way — too hungry or too stressed to make a mark this time round. At least that’s what the smarting Australians and the ever into oneupmanship, Pakistan, would be hoping for fervently.

Ricky Ponting has suddenly got much to prove with his team showing signs of descent in all forms of the game and a particular kind of unusual lag in the shortest version of cricket. In England, it would be primary aim to make a mark, and perhaps sign off as a hero.

On the other hand, Pakistan, as we all know, can never forget the Misbah scoop to death last year, much like the Indians can never have amnesia about that cataclysmic boundary Javed Miandad hit off Chetan Sharma’s last ball at Sharjah so many years ago.

Other than these big two, there is England which comes in with a host’s muscle (wonder why though, because most of the flags in the stadium will be the Tricolour); there is South Africa which is getting used to its bigness; and there is New Zealand which has almost always been the dark horse.

But the cool dude in Dhoni has always looked at problems from a distance and solved them with minimum fuss. So this one too may pass — and on the merit list.

If you were to go to any of those betting sites or peruse through so-called “sourced” information about the wagers’ community, you would know the Indians are the only favourites of this World Cup. And this confidence among the fans and analysers accrues from a rock solid portfolio Dhoni has assembled ever since he took over the reigns of the team. A win in New Zealand, a draw in Australia, a Tri-series ODI victory again in Australia, besides of course the inaugural T20 World Cup in the bag, there has been no form of the game in which Team India has shown any chinks. Add to that the India-centricity of the game of cricket as a whole and you would hardly have any detractors that Dhoni would be tasking note of.

The only guarding he would, perhaps, have to do would be against the fallout of excessive cricket. It has been a relentless season, with only one break that came to them unscheduled — the cancellation of the Pakistan Tour and the Champions Trophy.

Other than that, the boys have been on the move constantly, playing relentlessly, strategising, practising, exercising and being away from their families and life as we know it normally.

So sit tight, have faith in your man and pray for the best!

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