MSD aka Mahendra Singh Dhoni… naam toh suna hi hoga. The man who is an epitome of legendary cricketer, captain cool and one of the greatest minds behind many success stories. Needless to say, he is one of the greatest finishers the game has ever seen. But behind this there is a stoic and calm man, who is never perturbed, disturbed, angry or fazed. His many facets have thrown light up some life goals we can follow.
A simpleton who left the job of a TTE to follow his passion, has been an inspiration for many. Even after captaining India to win all three ICC limited over trophies, leading team to number 1 spot in Test cricket for the first time, whitewashing Australia in Tests, nearly after 40 years, leading CSK to 4 IPL trophies, MSD remains grounded, calm, sane and simple. So here’s what we can learn from him.
Live life like there is no Tomorrow
Who doesn’t know about Mahi’s Helicopter Shot. But what we don’t see is his fearlessness. Fearless and bold display of flamboyance and valour. With the bat, he seizes every opportunity that comes his way. Plays boldly, like there is no tomorrow. We must learn to make the most of every moment in our lives and live like there is no tomorrow.
Stay calm
Whether it is the taste of sweet success or the bitter taste of failure, MS has faced it all with a stoic calm. Have you ever seen him stressed out, even in dire situations? Nope, never. You will rarely see him display his emotions. That’s his key to success. He is no superhuman. He is as much blood and flesh as we are. All his aggression is channelized through his game. He inspires and motivates everyone through his calmness. It is important for all of us to channelize our inner strength, anger, aggression in the right direction and remember, never lose your cool.
No ‘superiority complex’
In all these years, you have always seen him encouraging, motivating and inspiring budding cricketers and young Turks. With no ounce of seniority complex, he has often led from the front and as a leader inspired others to take charge, feel confident and go for it. This has instilled a sense of responsibility in the younger players and motivated them to do better every day. During crucial matches, he has handed over the baton to youngsters and supported them to move ahead. Created benchmarks for others to follow and never took advantage or let his superiority be any hindrance for others. No wonder everyone loves Mahi Bhai. So leave your complexes behind and encourage others to do better and be a true leader.
Never give up
Come what may, never give up is Dhoni’s mantra. Had MS stopped following his passion for cricket and continued with the job of a TTE, would we have got our Captain Cool? He has never known what it is to give up. He is always ready with his plan B. A survivor that he is, he has never been fearful of taking a path lesser known. In this year’s IPL edition, in one of the matches against Mumbai Indians, his last over heroics saved the day. The target seemed impossible, but with 3 fours and 1 six, Dhoni snatched victory from the claws of defeat. He never worries about the result or fears losing his wicket. His eyes are only on the finishing line. Even after CSK’s poor run in IPL 2022 and despite Dhoni handing over the baton to Jadeja, he came back to rescue the team. So never think that there is no way out. Never be fearful of taking the path less travelled.
Laughter is the best medicine
When the going gets tough, laugh it off. One hell of a hilarious person is MS Dhoni. He keeps everyone entertained on or off the field. Dhonisms are quite popular in the circuit. His witty one-liners keep everyone abuzz. Humour has been his trusted ally. He once told the media, “You (media) keep changing my girlfriends very quickly, at least let one of them be for long”. On the field he once said, “I do not understand Duckworth-Lewis, I just wait for the umpires decision”. So to laugh it off in tough situations is what we must learn from MS Dhoni.
Dhoni is like a pillar and an inspiration to many. Still stands tall, despite many other successors.
