What it takes to be Dhoni

It takes power to dream something incogitable, and then it takes a Dhoni to accomplish it. In a country where cricket is more sensitive than the religious hysteria it has, it takes a Dhoni to command.  No one can deny that he is a tough man, who has shown calm and composure in the times when zillions had chill running down their spines even with the thought of being in his situation. No matter how tough the situation could be, it takes a Dhoni to come out of that situation. It takes nerves of steel to be unruffled, when a billion people have put their hopes on you and then finish things off with a style.  I will join #Gavaskar in what he said, “When I die, the last thing I want to see is the six that Dhoni hit in the 2011 World Cup final." When the whole country goes frenzy in a stream of madness, when everybody in the team is yelling with joy, it takes Dhoni to accept the win with a simple smile. He gave new limits to the definition of coolness. It takes a sensational style to be Dhoni.

It is pointless to count what he achieved for himself and the country, what matters is how he achieved. Everybody will turn into a psychoanalyst and there will be swarms of analysis coming out about his behavior and reasons for retirement. There will always be theories and conspiracies cropping from here and there about his retirement, but the man not flinched for so long will be unhindered by the hullabaloo. This is what it takes to be Dhoni, isolated not from the outside world but from within. People will keep on complaining and praising, isolated is one who is neither titillated by the win nor wrecked by the loss. The notion of winning or losing, people cursing or praising becomes secondary and the person becomes legendary.  To remain in the state of Normalcy in all the chaotic situations around is something he mastered. This is what differentiates him from other leaders and this is what it takes to be the skipper.

He retired in his own unpretentious way, without a fuss or buzz about his retirement. He has done everything in style, and retired with a style in 2014 with a day to spare. He will be acknowledged as best controller and remembered as the best finisher of the game. An era of cricket ends...