Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has heaped praise on former Indian skipper MS Dhoni, describing him as “intuitive, instinctive,” and a natural leader. Tendulkar revealed that he had recommended Dhoni for the captaincy in 2007, recognizing his exceptional qualities.
After India’s disappointing performance in the 2007 50-over World Cup, Tendulkar was offered the captaincy. However, he declined due to his physical condition. Instead, he suggested Dhoni’s name to then BCCI president Sharad Pawar.
“I said, ‘My body is in terrible shape, I do not think a captain who will now and then go to the dressing room and have his ankle strapped or some treatment on his shoulder and all that, it is not the right thing to happen to our team,'” Tendulkar recalled.
Tendulkar had observed Dhoni’s leadership skills firsthand while fielding in the slips. “Invariably, I would ask him, ‘What would you have done right now?’ And the answers were balanced. He is very intuitive; he is instinctive, and the awareness of that given moment is remarkable,” Tendulkar said.
“His mind is very stable, he is calm, he is instinctive, and he makes the right decisions. At that time, I recommended him to the BCCI President and said, ‘I see leadership qualities in him, so you should consider him,'” Sachin added.
Dhoni’s legacy as a captain is unparalleled. He is the only captain to have won all three major ICC titles: the T20 World Cup, the Cricket World Cup, and the Champions Trophy. Additionally, he has led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to five IPL titles and two Champions League T20 titles.
Despite stepping down as CSK captain this season, Dhoni’s influence remains evident. In their IPL opener against Royal Challengers Bangalore, he was seen actively assisting new captain Ruturaj Gaikwad in setting field positions.
CSK’s next match will be against last year’s runners-up, the Gujarat Titans, in Chennai on March 26.
