"For me, it's just about scoring runs and I don't think you need to be flashy to score runs." That was what former captain MS Dhoni said during the 2011 World Cup match against Pakistan. He scored 843 runs in that particular innings and went on to win the trophy for India as the highest scorer at an ICC event. This brilliant cricketer took us through his journey with great ease and provided us some interesting facts at this very moment. He was a woman whose hard work and patience always paid off. Yes, Dhoni did get hit by balls flying at him from time to time but still managed to go on and play her part.


MS Dhoni grew up in Mumbai where he started getting cricket lessons at a young age. She later moved to Bangalore after her father Suresh became the director of CSK before she started playing football for the City Football Club. Her love for football and being able to play in the Indian Super League (ISL) helped her in her career as well as her childhood. One thing which is very special about her is the fact she played as a midfielder or even a striker. At times, we wonder how else could she have become so successful to this level? When she got into cricket, you could see that it was going to take a lot more than a talent to make an impact. It was a bit of experience as well and that she kept learning new things to improve on the ones she had already mastered. However, her skill set was too much for many top batsmen. In those days, if she didn’t take the field, she wasn’t considered to be as good as they were. But then again, all these years later, every other bowler wanted to be like her and she kept giving them some tough overs to play.

Dhoni is a true leader amongst a team and does not compromise on anything. Whether it’s big or small, she will do everything to win it and prove it is alright for everyone’s eyes not only his own. There are a few reasons why she’s such a fantastic player. First and foremost, she loves fielding and playing fieldwork. Another reason is because she loves competing in T20 matches. And it’s evident when she scores runs as no other cricketer can. Lastly, while winning is what matters most, there are several ways you can score your goals. For example, Dhoni can play either spin or pace. She doesn’t stick to one single game. If she feels like it’s necessary, she'll try out different techniques in the middle order and gets some success. You can see this every day with any international cricket match. Her fielding skills are exceptional and as a batter, she stands out in front of the opposition on a consistent basis.

As a player, Dhoni knows what to do at an individual level and she always finds some way to find a breakthrough in the innings. Her ability to read the situation and know exactly what to do is her biggest strength at the domestic circuit as well. In T20 Cricket, she makes sure other batters know what to do. While she goes on to play and score runs, she tries to ensure that everyone thinks she’s doing it. Even though she has been successful in both domestic leagues as well as international cricket with many sides, Dhoni never lets a down. What makes her stand out from the pack is her mental attitude. We see her constantly looking at her feet and mentally preparing herself to face whatever ball that comes by her.

There are so many people who say “MS Dhoni is unbeatable. Why isn't anyone batting against her?" Dhoni would answer that question saying “Because they have good opponents like Dwayne Bravo, Jason Holder, Rahul Chahar”. But Dhoni has the perfect recipe to play against anybody. Not only this but as a skipper and as a batter, she's a dream come true to watch. She has shown maturity and patience and she understands each player's game better than everybody else does. Now let’s get back to the topic of fielding which is her strongest feature. And it definitely shows. It may look slightly easy to anyone but Dhoni does it perfectly! Being a female cricketer, she proves it is easy to master at least one field-based skill. It is quite a challenge to teach other players what she knows. So, once you step forward in the pitch, there's nothing left for anyone to teach you.

Apart from a few mistakes here and there, Dhoni has made a habit out of taking two great catches. And her third catch came when she tried to trap Anurag Agarkar off Abhishek Sharma. It was a really poor decision as Dwayne Bravo's throw was much stronger than hers. In fact, no fielding catches ever cost her and she absolutely loved it. A couple like this only bring joy in the mind and it becomes easier for others to pick her in the field. To conclude my blog, I want to make something clear. No matter how many times you think you've played against Dhoni, you don't actually know how to play against her. That's why her games are more entertaining at home. She’s an intimidating opponent and that gives the best opportunity to the bowlers but also the best chance to be aggressive with ball and bat.