It will only be when he relinquishes the role that Indian cricket realises just how fortunate it was to have MS Dhoni as captain. In an environment where hype is the norm, and rose-petal showers are deemed appropriate, his remains a voice of sanity. Where others would get carried away on waves of emotion, Dhoni remains impressively grounded.
Michael Clarke choked up during a press conference last year when asked about Ricky Ponting’s impending retirement. Dhoni, who has had close to a month to imagine a Test-match side without Sachin Tendulkar, chose jest and wisecracks to answer most queries. If anyone was expecting a weepy, I-can’t-smile-without-you kind of quote, they didn’t get it.
Starting with a remark over Tendulkar’s name being spelt wrongly [‘Sachine’] on the giant scoreboard, he was all smiles and focus. As far as he was concerned, the encomiums could wait. There was a Test match, and series, to be won first.
“The focus has been brilliant so far,” he said when asked about the mood in the camp. “As far as the team is concerned, we’re not thinking anyone apart from cricket. There are certain things that have to happen and they will. The dressing room atmosphere is exactly the same.
“It [Tendulkar’s retirement] is something that was expected. We’ve all been mentally prepared for it. As far as these matches are concerned, the less distraction there is, the better. Once the game starts, the team isn’t entertaining anyone. In that sense, we are sorted.”
On Saturday (November 2), India were planning the last match of a lengthy ODI series against Australia. Now, after just two practice sessions, they must ready for their first Test since March. “It is a big change,” said Dhoni. “When you play Test matches in India, on most of the wickets, the ball doesn’t come on as nicely as it does in the ODIs. There have been quite a few dismissals at short cover or point or mid-on. Hopefully, in the coming five days, it [the pace of the pitch] won’t have an impact.”
The last time India played here, the curator criticised Dhoni for openly requesting a surface that would favour India’s slow bowlers. There were no such entreaties this time, with Dhoni perhaps mindful of how that match ended – England were comfortable winners. “We’ll have to look at the wicket again tomorrow,” he said. “They’ve put a bit of water on it now. We can only make a proper assessment when it’s dry.”
Whatever be the surface, the action is likely to be far removed from the run orgy that was witnessed over the past four weeks. Dhoni, Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma (twice) and Virat Kohli (twice) all reached three figures against Australia. One man far removed from the four-and-six-hitting fun was Cheteshwar Pujara, whose preparation for this series included a triple-century against West Indies A.
“He’s very calm and composed, and technically very sound,” said Dhoni of his No.3. “He’s played a lot of long innings in domestic cricket. When you’ve done well for India and you go back and play domestic cricket, there can be a tendency to dominate once you’ve got your hundred. But if you talk of Pujara, he’s very contained. He’s aggressive against the spinners, but he doesn’t hit too many big shots. He’s more about piercing the field, whether that’s for two runs or four.”
While the batting order has a settled look – the only question being whether India give Rohit a debut at No.6 – there is no such certainty on the bowling side. Dhoni did indicate, however, that Bhuvneshwar Kumar would be one of pace bowlers selected. “He’s someone who’s given us good starts with the new ball, even on wickets that were not helpful for fast bowlers,” he said. “Those one or two wickets with the new ball always help.”
Given that this is his home turf, there was also considerable interest in Mohammad Shami, uncapped as yet at this level. “He’s shaping really well,” said Dhoni. “If you see the ODI performances, he has given us those breakthroughs with the new ball, which I feel with the rule changes is very important. He’s also someone who bowls at good pace, and who’s able to bowl good yorkers. Overall, he looks very good and we want to keep working with him so that he can improve his fitness further. When he comes into Test cricket, he’ll able to bowl those long spells, and he can come back and bowl at the same pace in the second or third spell.”
This, of course, was the series conjured out of thin air, once it became clear that Cricket South Africa’s proposed itinerary was unacceptable to the Indian board. “It’s not up to me,” said Dhoni when asked about the revised schedule and whether the players had been privy to the discussions. “Wherever we’re sent, we’ll play. As for being consulted, that’s between me and the BCCI.”
The press conference being something of a Tendulkar Show, his every move was scrutinised. It’s not as though he spent the last 24 years as an aloof genius, yet each interaction with other players was picked up on. “It’s just now that Sachin has announced these will be his last two Test matches that people are noticing it,” said Dhoni with a wry smile. “He’s always been someone who interacts a lot with the youngsters, and guides them as to what needs to be done – how they can improve, whether as a bowler or a batsman.”
