The MS Dhoni Saga in the IPL; The Monk Who Wields Detachment and the Bat, of Course, For Chennai!
MS Dhoni scored 31 runs [iplt20.com]
“Before the start of the game, I wasn’t even aware that this was the 200th as captain (of CSK).”
That’s not all; the mild mannered voice went on to add further upon the completion of the game against Rajasthan, which went down the wire, “What’s the big difference between 199 and 200?”
It’s not the big sixes or the boundaries that perfectly bisect the fielder on either side. Well, yes it describes him, but that’s not the entire picture.
It’s not the games won and the big teams overcome. It is. But again, that doesn’t quite say it in entirety.
The big giveaway on the part of MS Dhoni for the bowlers is just how far he sends the white ball into the crowds. Theirs to fetch it.
But Dhoni’s real gift for us fans who stick around long after a game featuring one of the most admired men in cricket is over is one that borders philosophy, or better yet, encapsulates the way of being.
Detachment. Not the Adrian Brody movie.
Few have come to demonstrate the zen-like trait of being utterly unfazed as to whether one embraced victory or defeat. Which was clearly evident last evening at the Chepauk.
And truth be told, from what appeared a few hours ago at the end of the Rajasthan versus his Chennai side is that, even if MS Dhoni would’ve emerged on the right side of the result, he’d have not embraced victory like an over enthusiastic zealot.
Not that those who offer emotions and the uppity side do anything wrong, but, it could be argued those who nurse too many find the sting of the defeat a bit too hard in the end.
The Dhoni we saw and embraced as a cricketing deity in the slam bam 2011 Wankhede night hasn’t changed a great deal from the one who was utterly unwilling to own the moment, which was the staggering feat of captaining CSK for the 200th time.
The main concern was cricket. The main focus was on his own contribution and just how far he could apply himself to the team’s result.
Back then, he disappeared into the evening skies, somewhere behind the billowing excitement of his teammates of lifting the World Cup and the great Sachin, of course.
Last evening in Chennai, he completely ducked the very deserving hype that surrounded him for his 200th game as captain.
But in reality, Dhoni must savour the occasion and get a sense of just how far he’s traversed in the utterly competitive domain that is the Indian Premier League.
Not only has he been a part of the IPL since its inception, he’s seen talents rise, names fading away in the bite of the competition, forged rivalries with the biggies like Mumbai Indians, overcome the very best in the completion a lot many times and forget not, lifted the title on four separate occasions, which included wining the IPL on two separate occasions.
And for doing all of that, through the ups and downs, he’s remained a man entirely unfettered by competition and unfazed weather by victory of defeat.
There’s this sanity about MS Dhoni in a frenzied celeb-hungry, fame-addicted world that’s genuine and beautiful.
Of course, what also hasn’t changed about the man behind the innocent smile is that he’s as willing to compete today as he was back in his prime.
But rather interestingly, even the MS Dhoni in prime was doing pretty much what the 41-year-old is pulling off at this stage of the contest, playing very much a blinder
in scoring 32 unbeaten runs from just 17.
It’s not easy to smoke two back to back sixes at his age in the final over of a nervy run chase. But again, it does make sense that when your focus is not on becoming the subject of hype and only on how you can contribute, things happen.
Only on this occasion the final ball of the final delivery, bowled to much perfection, met the toe end of MS Dhoni’s bat. There was very little that he could do.
In the end, things didn’t quite happen as how Chennai would’ve like it and how on its most admired sons, one referred lovingly as Thala would’ve liked it.
But guess what? When you’re nursing a knee injury, not everything can go smooth for you.
But yet again, it wasn’t Dhoni who revealed the trouble his was nursing; it was Stephan Fleming.
Dhoni, on his own, made no mention of it.
As if, what mattered to him most and one knows it for a fact, was just going out there and attempting to weave moments of gold for supporters to whom the Chennai jersey is like pure gold.
Albeit, being a part batsman and part monk as only he could be!
 "Dev Tyagi")
