Mahendra Singh Dhoni yet to pass litmus test of Indian captaincy

Mahendra Singh Dhoni yet to pass litmus test of Indian captaincy
Boria Majumdar,ET Bureau | Dec 18, 2013,

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, among many other things, is only three matches away from becoming the Indian captain with the most number of ODI wins. He has already won two world cups-the inaugural T-20 world cup in 2007 and the 50-over world cup at home in 2011-and also the 2013 Champions Trophy. To add to this, he has led India to the pole position in Test rankings in 2009.

Does all of this make him the best Indian captain ever?

Dhoni's legacy as the best in the ODI format is beyond question. As one of the best players playing the 50-over format, Dhoni, with a staggering average of 53 plus, has done tremendously well for himself and India in ODIs. However, in the Test match format, he still has a lot to prove. Just a year-and-a-half earlier, we lost 8 consecutive Test matches away from home, a record that just doesn't go with the man tipped to be the best ever.

We also lost a home series against England, which, more than anything else, was acutely disappointing. And Dhoni as a batsman can seriously do much better than what he has done in Test in overseas conditions. It is as if he doesn't like the format and finds it a little too daunting on occasions. It is in this regard that his legacy has to improve significantly.

And it is this poor overseas record that prompts me to bring Sourav Ganguly back into the debate on India's best captain. This debate is regarding Test match cricket and nothing else. Under Sourav, more than anyone else, we learnt to win overseas. Since taking over in 2000, he won us a crucial Test match at Headingley in 2002. India went on to draw that particular series 1-1 against the English.

We followed this up with a runner-up finish in the 2003 world cup winning 8 consecutive matches on South African soil. And then came the absolutely incredible test win at Adelaide. This win meant we drew the 2003-4 series down under 1-1. The honeymoon was complete when India beat Pakistan in Pakistan 2-1 in March-April 2004.

It is not only about test wins and not losing key series away from home. Saurav's performances in these important away series are also worth looking into. He got a hundred in the Headingley Test match and was involved in a match winning partnership with Sachin Tendulkar.

And in the series down under in 2003-4, it was his century in the first Test at the Gabba that set the tone for the contest. It is in key away series that I'd love to see MSD come good. We are playing 14 Test matches overseas between December 2013 and January 2015. Each of these Test matches will need MSD to be at his inspiring best. It is upon MSD to encourage his young brigade and lead from the front. We need a Ganguly like 144 to set the tone and unless that happens, his legacy as the best ever can never be doubtless.

MSD as a test batsman overseas has been below par. Except a crucial 90 in South Africa in a losing cause in 2010 and a match saving 76 not out in England in 2007, no other innings of significance comes to mind. Compare it with Dhoni's ODI record and the contrast is profoundly clear. It is like Roger Federer at Wimbledon and subsequently at the French Open. I am certain that MSD is more than aware of this blooper and will do all in his powers to set the record straight.

I don't know how such a comparison makes sense. Even if MSD wins a lot, doesn't mean much IMO. He's obviously a damn fine leader - and Indias best ODI captain, but tests it's context dependent.

That would be like comparing Border and Ponting. Context matters.

You can compare purely on numbers but as you quite right say, Kyle, context matters.

Numbers do not tell the full story.

Surely you mean you *can't, right easyrider? Yep, true dat. I think you can appreciate what they've done - viz. building a team and taking it from there. Comparisons are just an apples vs oranges exercise, and ultimately boils down to personal preference.

I'll admit though, it was much more exciting for me to watch the Indian team under Ganguly, but that might be my bias/nostalgia speaking

dat majumdar fella doh mek sense.  Indian went through a test downturn starting in england..older players getting old and transition etc. 

but during that first losing test series in england Dhoni himself was ultra consistent as a player, giving his all while the aging stars did not do well.

I dont see how Dhoni can be faulted for that losing period.  he himself did well as leader and player, held the side together in transition and has emerged leading a new side on an upward trend.  Dhoni has passed every test with high marks

dat Majumdar fella is ah rubrics cube the man hard.  pheeeew!  he mus' want the great god himself before he can call somone good

No. You can just look at numbers and it will tell you a different, perhaps shewed, position if you do not take context into account.