Even today, ‘Impossible is nothing’ for MS Dhoni

A couple of days back we saw one of the greatest IPL innings played in a losing cause. It was also one of Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s greatest T20 knocks.

In the last five overs CSK needed 76 to win against Kings XI and this, despite the miracles we have seen in this shortened version of the game, seemed impossible. But Dhoni seemed to work on that famous principle ‘Impossible is nothing’.

I find it fascinating to watch champion players as their powers dwindle.

Dhoni does not play such knocks as frequently as he used to. He does not connect the big ones as consistently as he used to. But that exceptional mind of his still has the will to seek the highest goals.

Any lesser player would try and avoid such a situation where he is blamed for a loss. So he would put the onus on his partner because he does not quite trust his own ability.

He would try and hit out in such a way that if it happens, it happens, or he gets out early and lets someone else face the heat of the closing stages of a tight game.

Not Dhoni. He still wants to be in the forefront taking on the opposition head on. No hiding or evading here. It’s just not his style. It’s just not Mahendra Singh Dhoni!

TESTED TACTIC

Dhoni sticks to his long trusted philosophy of taking the match deep, right into the final over.

Yes, you start worrying when he starts a little slowly and the required rate climbs. There have been a few matches where he has not been able to catch up, but he still sticks to this tactic.

He does not panic when the required rate looks steep with five overs to go because he knows come the final two overs, he will be getting some real gifts from the bowlers as they are now tensed too.

This is where Dhoni is king. In those two overs lies Dhoni’s world of batting.

We think two overs. He thinks 12 balls. We think it’s not too many. He thinks that’s a plenty.

We think 30 in two overs is tough. He thinks three sixes are quite manageable and the rest can be easily achieved by a four here and there and some hard running between the wickets.

And yes, he believes that he will be less nervous than the bowler. So he always backs himself to emerge the winner.

But most importantly, if he fails, he just shrugs and moves on and that is what makes him rare and an exception even among champions. TCM