Former India selector Sanjay Jagdale recalled MS Dhoni’s first words when he was given the responsibility of leading the team ahead of the 2007 T20 World Cup.
Jagdale, impressed with Dhoni’s game awareness, revealed how confident he was in his abilities. He took the reigns of an inexperienced, young Indian team and came triumphant, beating arch-rivals Pakistan in the final. The world cup victory brought a T20 revolution in the country and paved the way for the IPL.
“He is cool and reads the game very well, the situations, the opposition, and the conditions. Especially in Twenty20. I will never forget the 2007 World Cup in South Africa. I was in London as a selector for the series against England. We picked a new team with Dhoni as captain.
“The first time he was named the captain, he said: Sir, hum World Cup jeet ke aayenge (We will return with the World Cup). I can never forget these words from him. He was not casual at all, he looked very confident about what he said. And India won the World Cup,”
Jagdale said in an exclusive with News18.com.
Jagdale also recounted his interaction with the former India coach Greg Chappell about Dhoni. He revealed that Chappell saw a future all-format leader in the long-haired sensation, and his words came true when Dhoni led the Indian team in the inaugural T20 World Cup when senior members had opted out of the tournament.
“Sanjay, he (Dhoni) is your future captain,” Chappell said. And he did become the India captain with Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Sourav Ganguly withdrawing from the Twenty20 World Cup. I will never forget this incident,”
he said.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India recently revealed the Indian contingent for the upcoming T20 World Cup in October-November. The big surprise was the addition of MS Dhoni as the mentor of the team. The appointment received both positive and negative reactions on social media.
Jagdale believes the former WC winning skipper has good bonding with the current captain Virat Kohli and will add value to the side from his wealth of knowledge in the mega event.
“But one thing I know is that Dhoni has excellent rapport with Virat (Kohli). Definitely. He will add something to the team with his experience and knowledge,”
stated Jagdale.
Virat Kohli has itched his name in the history books as India’s greatest ever Test captain with series victories in Australia, West Indies and returning with 2-1 lead in England just recently.
Before India’s two prominent cricket figures join hands, they will go against each other in the UAE leg of the Indian Premier League starting September 19. Three-time former champions Chennai Super Kings, led by Dhoni, are occupying the second position on the points table with five victories.
They will face five-time champions Mumbai Indians in the opening game of the second phase. Kohli’s Royal Challengers Bangalore were in the terrific form before the tournament was postponed, winning five out of seven games. They will take on Kolkata Knight Riders in their first game in the UAE on September 20.
