More than two years have passed since legendary cricketer MS Dhoni bid farewell to international cricket as one of the greatest captains in the game’s history. He is now expected to end his illustrious T20 career after the upcoming Indian T20 League seasons.
It’s no secret that the Chennai captain dislikes long meetings with teammates, despite his tactical prowess. According to ex-India opener Parthiv Patel, Dhoni’s team meeting in the 2008 Indian T20 League final lasted only two minutes.
In a recent interview with ex-India cricketer Aakash Chopra, rising talent Ruturaj Gaikwad revealed that he learned some trade secrets from India’s most successful captain at the Chennai camp. “All the players gelled really well. Everyone used to be a little quiet for 10–15 mins after losing a game. But Mahi bhai…after coming back from the presentation, would tell us, ‘Relax boys, it happens.’,” Gaikwad told Chopra.
“You tend to relax a little bit after hearing that. MS Dhoni taught me how to stay neutral when things aren’t going your way. And even when you are on the winning side, it is important to stay neutral,” Gaikwad added.
There was no blame game: Ruturaj Gaikwad
Gaikwad hit his first Indian T20 League century, and he finished the season as the tournament’s leading run-scorer in 2021. The Indian opener scored 635 runs for Chennai to win the prestigious Orange Cap. In 2021, the Dhoni-led team won their fourth title, following a disastrous start to their title-defending season.
Ravindra Jadeja was appointed as Chennai’s captain, but Dhoni replaced him mid-season. The 40-year-old will lead the Yellow Brigade in the prestigious tournament’s 2023 edition.
“Win or lose, MS Dhoni made sure that the team atmosphere remained the same. Yes, there was surely a lot of disappointment, but no negativity. There was no blame game. A lot of times when you keep on losing, different groups are formed within the team. But that didn’t happen in CSK,” Gaikwad added.
Surprisingly, Gaikwad also admitted that Dhoni’s team meetings are absurdly brief. “MS Dhoni’s meetings are usually very short. Even after losing, the longest meeting would be around two or three minutes. He would tell us that there is a dinner plan, so make sure everyone is ready for it. He would make us understand that it isn’t possible for CSK to win each and every time,” he concluded.
