There are a lot of reasons why MS Dhoni is the best captain. However, Maheesh Theekshana just gave us another one. While talking to a journalist, Theekshana recalled a funny incident from last year regarding MS Dhoni. I am sure when you read it, it will be heartwarming for you and will show you why MS Dhoni has been impactful as a skipper, whichever team he has led so far. So what are you waiting for? Let’s find out some interesting insights, courtesy of Maheesh Theekshana
“He knows people can make mistakes, and he gives them chances to improve,” Theekshana on MS Dhoni
CSK won the season last year, and they celebrated it at a party involving all the team members. Theekshana said that he was about to leave, and went to the skipper to say goodbye. This is when Dhoni hugged him and said, “Next season, no bowling for you. Only batting and fielding.”
Theekshana was an impactful player last season of IPL. However, he dropped a lot of catches. IPL is at a level where you cannot expect such “boo-boos” to happen. But Theekshana made those mistakes. And he acknowledged that he wasn’t a pretty good fielder.
The thing that gave him much confidence was Dhoni’s confidence in him. That is the very reason he has been able to improve as a player. And you can see that confidence from the last meeting he had with Theekshana. Dhoni was also one of the first people to use him in the death overs.
It is not odd to let the spinners bowl in the death bowlers. Veterans like Murali, Saqlain Mushtaq, and Saeed Ajmal have done it. But that was in the past. The pitches have changed now. The game has changed now. But the way Dhoni utilized Theekshana is genius.
Theekshana’s impact in IPL
Theekshana didn’t have any special entry in the world of cricket. His debut wasn’t that special. Even his selection in the CSK during the IPL auction 2022 didn’t attract much attention. However, Dhoni showcased this bowler’s ability to the whole world. And this is what great captains do. They enhance the abilities of their players.
In his first season, Theekshana picked up 12 wickets in 9 matches with an economy rate of 7.46. However, he was instrumental in CSK’s success. He picked up 11 wickets. Don’t let the economy rate of 8.00 fool you, this lad was bowling in the final overs.
Dhoni’s reign as a captain
While we spoke about why Dhoni is such an awesome captain, let’s have a look at the number of tournaments he has won as a captain.
| Tournaments | Years |
|---|---|
| T20 World Cup | 2007 |
| Cricket World Cup | 2011 |
| Champions Trophy | 2013 |
| Asia Cup | 2010 2016 2018 |
| IPL | 2010 2011 2018 2021 2023 |
| CLT20 | 2010 2014 |
Concluding remarks
Dhoni has won a lot of major tournaments during his time as a captain. However, with Theekshana’s remarks, you can see why Dhoni had such an impact as a captain. This also tells why India hasn’t been able to win any major tournament since Dhoni retired after the post-2019 World Cup. While Dhoni might play a few more seasons, can he win this one? To know if he can win another IPL season as a captain, turn on the notifications for this website. Because we will bring you all the inside news and updates.