Ex-India batsman VVS Laxman lauded former skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Tuesday (June 9) and said that his calling card was composure under pressure-cooker situations.
“Blessed with the rare equanimity of viewing cricket as a sport and not a matter of life and death, @msdhoni`s calling card was composure, especially under pressure. The 2007 World T20 triumph catalysed the stirring captaincy saga of a leader who talked through his deeds,” Laxman tweeted.
Dhoni started his ODI career in 2004 against Bangladesh but he failed to stamp his authority in the debut series as Dhoni scored just 19 runs in the three-match series. Dhoni, however, kept his calm and proved his worth in the series against Pakistan in 2005 as he scored 148 runs in the second ODI of the six-match series at Vishakapatnam.
Dhoni still holds the record of the only captain to win all major ICC trophies (50-over World Cup, T20 World Cup, and Champions Trophy). Under his captaincy, India reached on top of Test cricket ranking. In 2007, Dhoni led an inexperienced Indian side to the T20 World Cup triumph and was then appointed the ODI captain.
In December 2014, Dhoni announced his retirement from Test cricket thus opening the doors for likes of Wriddhiman Saha and Rishabh Pant to find a place in the Indian Test side. In 2017, Dhoni stepped down as ODI captain and Virat Kohli was appointed as the skipper of 50-over side.
Dhoni and Kohli enjoy a great camaraderie and Kohli has been often spotted consulting Dhoni in pressure situations. Dhoni was all set to return to the cricket field on March 29 in the IPL`s opening match between CSK and Mumbai Indians but his return got delayed as IPL was postponed due to coronavirus pandemic.