articleshow

Mahendra Singh Dhoni: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

Mahendra Singh Dhoni laments the Ugly Side of Cricket

What he said:

We just saw the ugly side of cricket. Whichever team has the upper hand, doesn’t want to play. Whichever team is not on winning side, will stick around and even play football. That’s what people do and that’s what both sides did.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni is frankness personified when he airs his opinion that the Ducksworth-Lewis method of deciding the 4th ODI against England—affected by rain—was detrimental to the spirit of the game. The ODI ended in a tie as decided by the controversial methodology.

Dhoni added:

If you have a day game, you need different guidelines and principles to follow. If you put it under lights, it doesn’t look nice.

Some of the guys were confused. Some thought we had won it. Most of us thought it was a passing shower and we would be able to get back on the field.

Once inside the dressing room, we saw the final sheet of paper. After looking at it, it was apparent it was a tie and none of the side had won the game.

This is not the first time. We were close to winning the first game also. But as I said, you can’t control the weather.

What Dhoni really meant:

“It doesn’t say much for us  if we loiter in the dressing room when the game has swung our way.”

What Dhoni definitely didn’t:

“We caught the Djokovic-Federer semi-final and unanimously agreed with Roger Federer’s post-match sentiment: ‘That’s why we all watch sports, isn’t it?  Because we don’t know the outcome and everybody has a chance, and until the very moment it can still turn.  That’s what we love about the sport, but it’s also very cruel and tough sometimes.’”

Roger Federer: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

What he said:

“I’d rather be 30 than 20, to be honest.”

Roger Federer celebrates his 30th birthday this month. He has no regrets as he gets older and is comfortable in his own skin.

What he really meant:

“I’m 30, not 20. Let’s face it, I can’t reverse Father Time. I just wish my competition was 30 as well.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“Novak and Rafa are welcome to join me in cutting the cake.”

Kapil Dev: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

What he said:

"Dhoni has made mockery of Test cricket by bowling (himself).”

Kapil Dev is less-than-enthused over Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s decision to be the spare bowler in Zaheer Khan’s absence due to a hamstring injury in the first Test at Lords.

What he really meant:

“First he took away my glory at being India’s only World Cup winning captain, now he wants to bowl medium-pace as well. Where will he stop?”

What he definitely didn’t:

“Dhoni da jawab nahin.”

Andrew Strauss: What he said, what he really meant and definitely did not

What he said:

"We don’t want that fairytale to come true though."

Andrew Strauss is certain that his team has no intention of gifting Indian maestro, Sachin Tendulkar, his 100th century on the occasion of the 2000th Test —also the 100th five-day match between the two sides.

What he really meant:

“Fairy tales are bedtime reading. Tons are hard won. The only magic is hard work and grit.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“We’ll have Kevin Pietersen, our Prince Charming, bowl to Sachin.”

Daryl Harper: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

What he said:

“It’s about as common as Indians eating beef burgers."

Australian umpire, Daryl Harper, takes a huge swipe at Indian cricketers— simultaneously defending his track record, following the criticism directed at him  by the Indian captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni. In a series of caustic remarks—interpreted by some as having racist overtones— that included “I should never have applied the laws of cricket to Indian players.", the Australian let fly letting Indians know how he felt about their accusations. Harper says that the ICC  proved that 94% of his decisions were right and that his mistakes were as rare as Indians eating beef.

What he really meant:

“That’s how strongly I feel. So there!”

What he definitely didn’t:

“I’m a vegetarian.”

“McDonald’s have offered me a job—in India.”

Harsha Bhogle: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

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What he said:

“They are trying to be half-hour players; but for that, you’ll need to first be a good four-day player!”

Harsha Bhogle believes that T20 players have to be good at the longer formats first.

What he really meant:

“Longer version players can always adapt to the shorter version of the game. Vice-versa not quite!”

What he definitely didn’t:

“Half-an-hour of T20 and IPL will keep the selectors at bay.”

Shane Warne: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

What he said:

“Winners party, losers sit at meetings.”

Shane Warne, explaining his leadership philosophy, to his Rajasthan Royals teammates.

What he really meant:

“Celebrate the wins, they’re hard-earned.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“Don’t plan for the wins.”

What he said, meant and what he definitely didn’t: Shah Rukh Khan

What he said:

“Dada is my favourite player. But we need to move on. I wish him all the best with Pune Warriors and hope that he does really well.”

Shah Rukh Khan making it clear that KKR don’t need Saurav Ganguly’s services.

What he meant:

“Now if Ganguly would have done a few more promotions with me, everything would have been hunky-dory.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“In Chak De II, I’m playing the coach again and Dada’s the captain of the team.”

What she said, meant, and definitely didn’t: Dona Ganguly

What she said:

“”Yes,but his role in the management and in the IPL team are two very different things.”

Dona Ganguly defending her husband Saurav representing the Pune Warriors franchise owned by Sahara Adventure Sports in which he is on the board of  directors.

What she meant:

“He (Saurav) can’t play cricket in board meetings, can he?”

What she definitely didn’t:

“Do you think Subrata Roy can play cricket as well as Saurav?”

“No, I don’t think Dada would have been chosen had he been an outsider.”